


Hooded

by Selfmanic



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Dom Nick Fury, Dom Phil Coulson, Dom Steve Rogers, Dom Tony Stark, Dom/sub, Evil Tony Stark, M/M, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Not A Fix-It, Physical Abuse, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sub Clint Barton
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:08:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 27,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21704980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selfmanic/pseuds/Selfmanic
Summary: Clint is a submissive and his dominant, Phil Coulson, dies in the battle of Manhattan. Thanks to complications from being under Loki's control he needs a new Dom. Things aren't as simple as they seemed.
Relationships: Clint Barton/Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Clint Barton/Phil Coulson, Clint Barton/Steve Rogers, Clint Barton/Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Comments: 8
Kudos: 135





	1. Chapter 1

Clint picked at his food with a slight frown stifling a yawn. He was exhausted, bruised, about two hours from total collapse and they were eating shawarma. The rest of the group looked about as bad; Rogers was even nodding off over his plate.

“We should get back to base, Phil’s going to want us to report in.” He said softly, glancing at Natasha with a wince as he dropped his feet back to the floor, “I’m probably going to spend the rest of the week in a CAT scan machine.”

“If they don’t just give you to the telepaths.” She offered standing and hauling him up by his elbow. “Fury will want a check in.”

“Wait, who’s Phil? You mean Agent?” Stark asked as he quickly signed a credit slip and handed it over, the amount making the shop owner gasp.

“Yeah, Phil Coulson, our handler.” Clint said with a shrug as he picked up his bow and quiver, Coulson had spent several weeks shadowing Stark with Natasha as his back up while Clint was on other ops.

“What, you didn’t hear?” Tony asked sounding shocked.

“Hear what?” Clint asked something making him hesitate, Stark rarely acted dead sober as he was now.

“Leave it, Stark.” Natasha snapped tugging at Clint to follow her out of the small store, the rest of the team scrambling after ignoring the look he shot her.

“No,” Tony said jogging after them, tugging Clint to a stop forcing him to twist out of her hold before he dislocated a shoulder, “No one told you he died during the attack on the carrier?”

“Phil died?” He repeated numbly as Natasha cursed in Russian.

“Dammit, Stark! I wanted him back on base first!” She grabbed Clint’s face making sure he was focused on her.

“You aren’t allowed to drop. That’s an order.” She snapped, voice hard and commanding. Clint nodded agreement without really noticing it, his mind still hung in a looped chant of “Phil’s dead.”

“Wait, he’s a Sub? Shield lets submissives go in to combat?” Tony asked cursing as he tripped over a piece of rubble, Natasha hurried them along all but dragging Clint with her, “Slow down, where are we going anyway?”

“You just told a Submissive that his Dominant died.” She snarled hauling Clint along a hair faster, “I need to get him to his emergency dominant before he drops.”

They got a few more blocks before Clint was shaking too badly to keep up the pace. Natasha cursed and pulled out a thin length of rope. She quickly bound his hands and looped a length up to his neck in a quick collar. Once the last knot was set he started to calm down a bit and she started them walking again.

“He likes to be tied?” Tony asked with a leer even as he started fiddling with his phone to see if he could get them a ride.   
“Not my story, Stark.” She snapped cursing when Clint jerked to a stop, reaching for his neck.

“Leave it, Clint. Stark’s just being an ass.” She said trying to sooth him.

“He took my collar.” Clint said blinking as she tugged his hands back down, “I lost Phil’s collar, Nat. Loki made me take it off, said I could only have one master.”

“I’m sure Phil would have understood, Clint. I’ll get it back for you once we get to Fury’s office.”

“Who’s his emergency dominant?” Steve asked glancing back to make sure Thor and Bruce were coming.

“Director Fury.” Clint said with a small hysterical bark of laughter, he’d never understood why Phil had insisted on Fury as his emergency Dom.

A Quinjet sat in a wide square, the pilots unloading supplies to one side. Natasha stalked up the gangway and got Clint into a seat. The rest of the team followed, Tony muttering about getting Thor and Bruce back to his tower for some real clothes until they could decide what to do with Loki. Natasha turned and watched the pilot storm up the ramp.

“You need to exit the vehicle, this is a military operation.” He snapped glancing over the motley group with a frown.

“I need to commander your jet. We have to get to the Helicarrier, now.” Natasha said pulling out her badge.

“I can’t do that, we already have our orders.”

“Do you know who this man is?” she asked gesturing to Clint.

“A traitor.” He sneered eying the rope securing the submissive, Steve shifted like he wanted to correct him but Natasha stepped forward blocking him.

“He’s also Director Fury’s submissive.” She snapped getting in the guy’s face, “Do you really want to be the one to tell Fury that you kept his Sub from him while he was edging on a drop?”

“Fuck, buckle in” He snarled, gesturing to the seats, “I’m taking you and dropping you, I have a real mission to get back to.”

“Fine.”

The flight was fast and turbulence filled, the pilot keeping to his word and taking off as soon as the last person’s feet hit the landing pad. Natasha hauled Clint along trying to get him past the wreckage and medical crews before he saw too much. She checked in on her com and made sure Fury was in his office, they couldn’t do this in the open.

“Director Fury,” she said tugging Clint forward once the door shut behind them, “Your submissive is edging on a drop and needs care.”

Nick sighed and rubbed at his scarred brow for a moment before keying something in on his desk, a small low bed slid out of one wall and he gestured for her to get Clint settled. The others fidgeted as the archer was settled glancing around the spare office. A massive overlay of screens on one wall showed the devastation and destruction the fight had caused around the city and in the halls of the helicarrier.

“I would see my brother, Fury.” Thor rumbled, watching as the Director dug in his desk drawers, coming up with a bottle of water and a protein bar.

“Well, I want to see you, your brother, and the tesseract off this world as soon as possible. The World Security Council is calling for blood and I’d rather not start yet another interplanetary incident.” He said opening the bottle and kneeling gave it to Clint. “Drink, Barton.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Dr. Banner, Stark, I need you to work with Prince Thor on figuring out a way to get the bifrost active as soon as possible. You’re welcome to use the labs on base or at the tower but the tesseract stays here.” Nick said giving Stark a stern look that promised pain if he argued with him right now, the last thing a Sub headed towards a drop needed was people arguing around him.

“Fair enough;” Stark said with a nod leading the other two men out after a lingering look at Clint, “Come on gentlemen, let’s get to work.”

“Romanov, I need you working with Sitwell and Hill. We need as much alien tech as possible off the streets.” Fury said tugging at Clint’s gloves until he started to help take them off, “Rogers, you’re welcome to assist Agent Romanov if you’d like.”

“Always willing to help, sir;” Steve said slowly glancing between him and Clint, clearly not liking leaving the distressed submissive but not having a reason to intervene.

“Romanov, get him a generic Shield uniform for now. We don’t need more exposure of the Avengers.” He said helping Clint out of his armored vest before giving him some more water.

“Yes, sir.” She said tugging Steve out the door after her. Once the room was locked and secure he glanced back at Clint with a sigh.

“I don’t have time for a submissive right now, Barton.” He said replacing the bottle with an unwrapped protein bar.

“Sorry, sir.” Clint mumbled, starting to slowly eat at his prompting.

“I told Phil I was a bad choice for your emergency dominant but he insisted you needed the protection. He might have been right this time, the WSC is looking for a scapegoat. Even without Phil willing you to me I would have kept you out of their hands but I can’t take the time off to deal with you right now.”

He tugged the man forward and pressed his hands to the floor, stepping on the rope to keep him pinned. The hand around his throat made Clint freeze even as he felt the patch being smoothed in place. Fury released him with a curt order to stay down.

“No, Phil promised, no drugs, he promised.” Clint said shivering as he was pressed back into the thin bed.

“Sorry, son, but I don’t have time for a submissive right now. You’ll stay down and docile for a few days while I sort things out. You’re to eat and drink when food is offered, sleep eight hours a night, and keep yourself clean. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Clint slurred shivering as the drugs forced him into subspace and kept him there.

Nick called for medical and got them to check out the agent. He kept working, only pausing to get a meal and a clean pair of scrubs brought in. He shoved Barton into the attached bathroom ordering him to shower and change. When he came out, hair still dripping Nick sat him back on the cot with a tray and an order to eat.

The next few days were hellish as Nick fought to keep his agency safe and repair the damage from the invasion. Luckily the damage to Barton was mostly exhaustion and dehydration. An IV for a day and a bunch of protein shakes kept him healthy while he tried to find a safe place for the submissive. The problem was no dominant he knew who would take him was powerful enough to keep him safe from the WSC and his other enemies, Barton wasn’t exactly loved after his years with Shield.

Barton had been brought to Shield when a raid on a small splinter cell mercenary group found the submissive drugged down and being used as a sniper by the group. Coulson was the one to take on the unruly agent, he got him detoxed and kept the man sane while he lashed out at any dominant that came near him for the first year of his contract with Shield. Eventually Coulson became his dominant and even though Phil wasn’t gay he cared for the other man as best he could while dating on the side.

Nick glanced over the drugged submissive with a sigh and called him over to kneel next to him. Phil would have his balls for drugging Barton but he had no time to sleep much less deal with an unstable submissive, he thought petting a hand absently through the younger man’s hair while he waited on his next meeting. The medical units had scanned Barton head to toe and run every test they could think of. It looked like he’d be suffering random drops for months once the drugs were out of his system thanks to Loki’s mind control. He needed the constant support of a dominant to keep him out of sub drop and Fury just couldn’t do that, not that he was liking his other options.

“Thank you for coming, Miss Potts, Mister Stark.” He said gesturing them to a chair when his secretary showed the couple in.

“I really didn’t think you were going to keep him, Fury.” Tony said with a mocking grin glancing at where Clint was crouched.

“That’s part of why I asked for this meeting.” Fury said, tapping Clint on one shoulder, “Barton, go back to your bed.”

“Yes, sir.” Clint slurred crawling back to the narrow cot next to the wall.

“You’re keeping him drugged?” Pepper asked her voice sharp with disapproval.

“For right now, yes.” Fury snapped, running a hand over his face, “I have no time to cater to an unstable submissive and the WSC wants Barton’s head on a plate since Loki and Thor are off planet.”

“Where exactly do we come in?” Tony asked glancing around the room like he was bored while he actually looked for hidden cameras, getting Jarvis to scan the room passively through the sensors in his glasses.   
“I don’t have time to rehab a submissive and I can’t send him to just anyone with the enemies he’s got right now. I would like one of you to take his contract, preferably Stark.”

“You want us to take him?” Tony asked enjoying forcing Fury to spell it out.

“I know you both are as busy as I am but at the tower he’d be safe and you can assign someone to care for him if you have to. Once he comes out of the drugs he could act as a body guard for Miss Potts or even you, Stark.”

“You don’t want him working for Shield?” Tony asked shifting back in his seat with a smug grin, he loved getting one up on the other man even if it meant stealing one of his best agents.

“Not right now, I need to get him as much distance as I can from Shield and the WSC while he heals up. Once he’s recovered he could start running small missions on a contract basis but for now he’s grounded until he can show he won’t go into sub drop without warning.”

“Is that an issue, uncontrolled sub drop?” Pepper asked with a frown.

“Whatever Loki did messed with his head, he’s the only submissive that was effected and the dominants don’t seem to be having the same problems.” Fury said with a sigh, “He went straight into sub drop when we tried to ease off the drugs for some tests. The doctors think it will taper off but he’ll need constant support until it does, something I can’t give him.”

“Does he have to be drugged?” Pepper asked glancing over to where Clint was curled in the corner of his cot watching them with glazed eyes.

“No, but I’d suggest you leave him down for the first week.” Fury said setting a small box on the desk before them, “This is two months’ worth of patches. Each patch lasts between six to eight days depending on how active the submissive is. I’d recommend changing the patch on the morning of the sixth day.”

“Who was his previous dominant?” She asked.

“Agent Phil Coulson, I believe you’ve met before.”

“Yes, Phil was a friend.” Pepper said with a frown glancing at Tony before turning back to Fury with a determined expression, “We’ll take him.”

“Pepper,” Tony tried to interrupt.

“No, he was Phil’s submissive and he needs help. We’re busy but we can set Jarvis to watch for a drop and to alert one of us when he does drop. He can act as my body guard and help with security at the tower when I have to travel.”

“Do you know what the papers are going to say when they see I’ve taken a submissive?” Tony asked raising an eyebrow.

“Then say you contracted him for me.” Pepper said with a sigh, “They’re going to say you did anyway.”

“Why exactly is he wearing a collar if he doesn’t have a Dom, is it yours, Fury?” Tony asked as Pepper stood and went to sit down next to Clint on the cot.

“That was Phil’s collar, Miss Romanov returned it to Barton a few days ago.” Fury said trying not to remember the death glare the assassin had given him when she realized Barton was drugged.

“He can keep it.” Pepper said firmly rubbing at Clint’s shoulders gently, “as well as any other possessions you want to send to the tower.”

“I’ll have someone round up his things and send them on.”

“Good, would we be able to take him back now?”

“I have no issue with that but you will need to contract him to you as soon as possible.”

“I’ll have legal draw up the papers.” Pepper said standing and urging Clint up with her, “He can sign once he comes off the medication.”

“Barton, you are to follow the orders Miss Potts and Stark give you. They’re your new Doms, do you understand?” Fury asked catching the submissive’s eyes.

“Yes, sir.”


	2. Chapter 2

Clint blinked his way awake, fuzzily glancing around the room he was laying in. The small cot sat in the corner of a large bedroom full of floor to ceiling windows and a massive bed done in cream and silver. He glanced at the IV in one arm but left it alone, vague memories of following a woman around the room and sitting at her feet left him frowning, he’d never subbed to a woman. The last clear memory he had was of the battle and Fury drugging him down but this wasn’t Shield medical.

“Agent Barton?” A cultured male voice with a British accent asked seeming to come from an overhead speaker.

“Yes?” Clint said, clearing his throat when his voice tried to break.

“I’m Jarvis, the AI system for Stark Tower. I have alerted Miss Potts that you are awake and she is on her way.”

“Thank you.” Clint muttered. So he was with Stark, when had that happened?

“Can I take the IV out and get up?” He asked pulling himself up with a grunt, not liking how weak he felt.

“Miss Potts is collecting the Tower Physician and will be arriving shortly. I would advise that you leave the IV in place until Dr. Brown is able to access your condition.”

“Alright.” He said flexing his hands with a frown, “How long have I been here, exactly?”

“You have been at the tower seven days. It has been five weeks since the Battle of New York.”

Fury had kept him drugged for four weeks! No wonder he felt like he’d been sick in the medical bay for weeks, he probably hadn’t been allowed to exercise or even do training while he was down at all. It would take him weeks to get back into top condition for missions.

“How are you feeling, Clint?” Pepper asked as she came in and took a seat on the bed, the doctor pausing to look him over. The white coated older woman knelt next to Clint and started checking him, removing the IV professionally and quickly bandaging the site with a cotton ball and a pressure wrap.

“I’m alright, Jarvis said it’s been five weeks since the battle?”

“Yes, how much do you remember? We had someone looking into the drug you were given but couldn’t find much research on it.”

“They call it Drop.” Clint said with a snort, “It keeps a submissive down and obedient no matter if the orders are coming from their dominant or not. I’ve used it before, it’s like being drugged with a date rape drug. The Sub doesn’t remember much once the drug’s in their system, just random flashes.”

“I’m sorry we put you through that.” She said with a wince, “Fury asked us to take you under contract after the WSC started demanding you be handed over to them after the battle. He recommended we keep you on the drug for one week before easing you off.”

“Is the contract already signed?” Clint asked taking the water the doctor was offering him, sometimes a Dominant could sign for a submissive if they were incapacitated.

“No, we wanted you to be aware and unmedicated before you signed. I’ve got a copy you can read over later today.”

“Alright.” He said watching the doctor gather up his things.

“How is he, Dr. Brown?” Pepper asked.

“Very fit for a young man his age,” the older woman said with a grin tucking a loose strand of long grey hair behind one ear, “You’ll be fine if tired for a few days. Take things slowly and wait a few days before you try exercising or whatever you’re doing to get those muscles, young man.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Clint said with a grin as Pepper chuckled softly.

“Thank you, Dr. Brown.”

“It’s no trouble, Miss Potts. Let me know if you need anything else.” She said giving Clint a smile and leaving the room.

“Let me show you to your room, Clint.” Pepper said standing and offering Clint a hand up that he ignored.

He was stiff and fought to hide a slight limp as he trailed after Pepper to the elevator. They only went down one floor and the doors opened to an open floor apartment much like the pent house they’d just left. She pointed out the bedroom and a few touches in each room before it clicked that this was going to be his floor.

“I thought you meant a room, not an entire floor.” Clint said blinking at the view out the floor to ceiling windows.

“Frankly, I doubt we’re going to be very good Doms for you and you might need the space.” Pepper offered with a bitter smile, “Both Tony and I are always busy with the company and neither of us have had a submissive contracted to us before. I dated a few in college and I know Tony’s done the same before we got together but we don’t have much experience keeping a Sub full time.”

“Considering how bad some of my Doms have been, you can’t be any worse.” He offered with a weak grin.

“Fury sent over your medical records and the Shield doctors are concerned you’re going to have random drops for a few months. That’s why Fury kept you down, he didn’t have anyone he trusted to monitor you.”

“Okay,” Clint said slowly taking a seat, “how are we going to work around that then if you’re not here?”

“I’m hoping you can shadow me most of the time as my body guard. It’s all in the contract but we’d have you working as a body guard for SI and wear several sensors so Jarvis can keep an eye on your vitals. He’ll alert me or Tony as soon as you start to drop if we’re not with you.”

“That should work.” Clint said slowly, if the WSC was after him he needed powerful protectors and Stark was really his best bet without giving him to someone who would take advantage of the situation either with him or Shield.

“I’ve ordered some lunch brought up if you want to join me once you get cleaned up. Fury sent over a few boxes of your things and there in the bedroom. Let Jarvis know if there’s anything you need at all.”

“Okay, thanks.” Clint nodded, standing and stiffly accepting the light hug from Pepper before she entered the elevator.

“I know this isn’t what you wanted but I hope it will work out okay.” She said with a sad smile, “Phil would have wanted you happy.”

“Shit,” Clint muttered once the elevators closed and whisked her out of hearing.

He wiped at his eyes and forced himself to go into the bedroom and inventory what was there. He could mourn Phil later, he had the rest of his life to mourn Phil. Mostly it was weapons, armor, and a few bags of his downtime and uniform clothes. He grabbed his toiletries and a change of clothes before taking a quick shower and shave. Someone had been keeping him shaved and mostly clean at least even if it wasn’t the best shave.

“Um, Jarvis?” He asked as he finished stowing the last few knives away and tied his boots.

“Yes, Agent Barton? Is there something I can assist you with?”

“Do you keep up with Pepper and Tony’s schedules?” He asked tidying up the bathroom out of habit.

“I do, I can assist you with scheduling your guard duties once they start.”

“Great, can you also schedule time in the day for me to start exercising next week? I need to get back in shape and start using my bow again.”

“Of course.”

“Alright, where are the sensors I’m supposed to wear?”

“They are on your dresser.” Jarvis said, Clint locating the thin plastic sheet and designer looking watch set next to it, “One sticker needs to go above your heart, one behind one ear, and the watch should be worn as well to allow me to monitor your vitals even if you leave the tower.”

“Okay.” Clint muttered snapping on the metal band with a frown before slowly placing each sensor, “Everything reading okay?”

“Everything appears to be in working order. I will gather baselines today and start monitoring your brain activity throughout the day. Please inform me if you feel the start of a drop.”

“Okay, I have to sleep in these right?”

“Yes, at least until I am able to verify that your drops do not happen during sleep.”

“Not normally but there’s not a whole lot normal about this entire situation;” He muttered with a snort pulling his shirt back on.

Clint’s life fell into what for him was a slow pattern of training and guard duty. He enjoyed following Pepper through her day as she ran Stark Industries, it was clear she was a smart and capable business woman and he’d always had a thing for a competent person. If in the process he stopped a few of the attacks against her and Stark Industries and one outright kidnapping attempt in his first month of duty then it just showed how much he was actually needed.

He missed Phil like a part of him had been cut away when he died, nothing Tony or Pepper did eased that ache. He forced himself to keep moving, to train and do his best to make it through the days when it felt like his chest had been scooped out, hollow and aching. He wasn’t sure if he could call this being happy but he was at least alive and working, that would have to be enough for now.

After nearly a week of sleepless nights that he spent either fighting nightmares or crying himself horse, he started sleeping at the foot of her bed when Tony was out of town at her insistence. Pepper made no attempt at sexual advances and Clint slept better knowing someone else was there to watch his back. He was fairly certain he could have enjoyed the situation if Tony hadn’t been included in the deal.

Tony Stark technically owned the submissive, Clint Francis Barton, it was his name on the official contract that bound him as a submissive to Tony and Pepper. Pepper might pay Clint’s salary but it was Tony’s collar around his neck, a thin jointed metal band in red and gold that pinched and scraped at his skin. When Pepper traveled, Clint was left in the care of Jarvis and Tony, a combination he never knew how to react to.

Jarvis did his best to mitigate the excesses Tony was prone to but like Clint he was bound to the man by his programming and could only do so much. The engineer seemed to delight in using and abusing Clint while Pepper was away. Clint added reminder alerts for both him and Tony to eat and sleep hoping the man would remember that Clint didn’t need to stay dropped for days at a time if he was going to get his system back to normal.

At least he was remembering everything now since he wasn’t being drugged down even if the memories weren’t the best. Tony had seemed to decide that Clint was his personal sex toy after Pepper had been out of town two days. He spent the next four days in sub space sucking him off while Tony worked in the workshop or being fucked over a workbench and then ordered to go clean himself up. It took Jarvis reminding him that Pepper was to arrive at the airport in an hour to get him to allow Clint to come back up.

He dropped three times the next week, one time scaring Pepper when he had a sudden drop in her office after a long meeting full of shouting and arguments. She cuddled and catered to him the rest of the day but he could see the resentment in Tony’s face when it continued during the dinner they were sharing. He tried to back off a bit but Pepper really was a good Dom and kept checking on him and giving him gentle reassurance and praise for each small task he completed for several days afterwards.

He wasn’t surprised when Jarvis asked him to go to their bedroom when he normally slept alone if they both were in town a few days later. He rode the elevator and made his slow way to the bedroom making sure his mask was firmly in place, listening to the soft moans Pepper was making. In the bedroom he waited next to the door watching as Tony fucked Pepper like he hadn’t asked for the submissive to come up.

“Strip and kneel by the bed.” Tony ordered when he finally pulled away leaving Pepper groaning at the abrupt withdrawal.

“Tony, what?” Pepper asked blinking in shock as Clint stripped out of his sleep pants and dropped to his knees by the bed.

“Just trying something new, Pep.” Tony said kissing her, before moving behind Clint and gripping the back of his neck harshly, “Eat her out and keep her happy.”

“Yes, sir.” Clint said shuddering as he started to slide into sub space, he really didn’t trust Stark enough to get to subspace on his own but he was still too off balance to stop the quick slide down.

“Tony, we don’t have sex in the contract, we can’t use,” She broke off with a gasp as Clint got to work.

Tony pulled Clint’s hips up so he was kneeling, head down and ass in the air. He shuddered as the man started prepping him without warning. He kept his mouth and tongue moving even as they started to ache, sucking and thrusting with his tongue and letting his teeth graze and press in occasionally trying to see what she liked.

The sudden thrust of Tony sliding home in one rough push punched a shout from Clint’s chest but he got back to work, too far down not to ache to please his Sir. Tony kept up a constant stream of commands and dirty talk that left Clint struggling to comply with. Pepper came twice more before he was allowed to stop and suck Tony off.

He slept at the end of the bed that night and woke to Tony fingering him open while Pepper slept to one side. He was taken in the shower that morning before being sent back to his floor to get ready for the day. After that he always slept in their room, at the foot of the bed or in the submissive cot to one side that had never been removed.

Pepper started noticing however that Clint was generally sleep deprived and underweight when she returned from a business trip and the two Doms argued constantly over Tony’s lack of care. Tony waved it off since Jarvis was programmed to remind him to feed and water Clint but those notices were generally ignored while Clint was forced down and he couldn’t take care of himself while down. He started having more drops that left him nauseous and depressed for days at a time.

It finally came to a head when Pepper ordered her things packed up and sent to an apartment she kept in town. She arrived to collect Clint as well only to find herself locked out of his floor. She tried to involve a lawyer but the contract stated that Tony was Clint’s Dom, nothing was mentioned about Pepper beyond the employment contract, which Tony had every right to terminate since he was the submissive’s dominant.

“You’re the reason she left me, you know.” Tony said tapping Clint on the head with his tumbler, they were on his floor surrounded by the few small things Pepper had left.

“I’m sorry.” Clint murmured knowing that no matter what he said he was going to be punished.

“No, you’re really not, not yet anyway.” Tony said, stepping forward and wrapping one hand around Clint’s neck. “Go down for me and strip. I might as well fuck my Sub.”

“Yes, sir.” Clint choked out, the title being forced out since Stark demanded it. He was shoved away with a snort of disgust.

He moved to the couch and stripped quickly setting his weapons in the locked drawer in the entertainment system so no one would mess with them. He was still wearing the sensors and he hoped Jarvis would alert someone if things got too bad. Tony watched him from near the bar draining his fifth glass.

Clint decided to keep the man’s attention at least and tried to make it a bit of a show as his last layers came off. Once he was naked he palmed some lube and spread himself, braced on the couch as he started fingering himself open and thrusting obscenely against his own fingers. It didn’t take long for Tony to step up and push him over the end of the couch, thrusting in while snarling curses and threats in his ear.

The beating started when he finally spent himself inside Clint. He shoved the Sub to the ground and started pummeling and kicking him, cursing and screaming at him that he was the reason Pepper left. Clint let himself slide into sub space taking what was being offered, he could do this for his Sir.

***

“Jarvis?” Clint slurred blinking himself awake some unknown time later.

“Sir has asked me to remind you to renew the patch on your hip.” Jarvis said his voice regretful, “Sir is currently in meetings however and will not be home until later this evening.”

“How, how long?” Clint asked prying himself out of the narrow cot and staggering to the bathroom.

“You have been kept drugged or down since Miss Potts left the tower two weeks ago.”

“Fuck.” Clint cursed using the bathroom and taking in his bruised skin and thin cheeks in the bathroom mirror. “I’m going to start dropping again if I stay down much longer, Jarvis.”

“I am aware of that fact and have reminded Sir of the possibility but he’s refused to change his orders.”

“I’m not eating enough.” Clint muttered as he stripped for a shower turning on water and cursing when he had to sit on the bench, his legs were too weak to hold him up that long.

“I have ordered high calorie meal replacement drinks and protein bars however it has been hard to get Sir to use them.”

“Can you ask him to get me to take orders from you while I’m down? You could remind me to eat then.”

“I shall try to do so.”

Clint cleaned himself up and tried to get his drug hazed mind to come up with a solution to get him out of this situation. Fury was out which meant he couldn’t contact Natasha. He had no idea where Bruce and Steve were or even if they would care about an abused Sub.

“Where are my weapons, Jarvis?”

“Your things have been removed from the floor you were previously using.”

“My bows?” Clint asked going still as he waited for the blow to fall.

“Your bows and quiver are still locked in storage on the weapon range.” Jarvis said making Clint huff out a relieved breath, “However you’re other possessions have been destroyed.”

“I can get more clothes, Jarvis. I built or designed those bows and the quiver myself.”

“I shall do my best to ensure their safety, submissive.” He said making Clint wince, Tony must have ordered the AI not to use his name.

“Thank you, Jarvis.” Clint said picking up the new patch with a sigh as he peeled off the old one and tossed it. “Can you do me one more favor?”

“I can only try, how can I assist you?”

“Do you have a way to contact Steve Rogers or get him a message?”

“I do not currently have a way to contact Captain Rogers. I can start attempting to do so however, what message do you wish to convey?”

“Just ask him if he minds breaking a Sub out of a bad spot.” Clint said with a bitter laugh, grabbing several of the shakes and bars and taking them with him to his cot. “Give him details if he asks but keep it simple.”

“Very well. I will start the search.”

“Thanks, Jarvis.” Clint said with a sigh, forcing himself to start eating, he needed to get some food into himself before the drugs kicked back in.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve arrived at the tower not sure what he was going to find. Jarvis had contacted him two days ago when he got back into the country after a long mission saying that Clint Barton asked him to deliver a message. He hadn’t been able to say much more, only that Clint requested he be contacted and that he’d been the contracted submissive to Tony Stark for almost a year now. The evasiveness of the AI’s answers to even simple questions had him going to the tower armed and with his shield in the car, just in case.

“Captain!” Tony crowed with a drunken grin, waving the soldier into his workshop. “What’s the occasion? Or did you decide to take me up on the free room and board offer?”

“No, actually I was hoping to see Agent Barton. Agent Romanov asked me to check in on him when I was in town.” Steve said with a mild smile hoping his gut was wrong as he eyed the swaying dominant.

“Yeah, sorry but he’s out at the moment.” Tony said with a frown, eyes skipping over the room as he tried to avoid looking at Steve.

“Really? I called earlier and Jarvis said he was at the tower. When will he be getting back?” he asked leaning against one table and trying to look like he was settling in to wait, however long it took.

“A few hours probably, I sent him on a few errands. Would you care for a drink?”

“Sure, I can kill a few hours I suppose while I wait.” Steve said with a polite smile.

“Great!” Tony said bustling off to fix the drinks while manically rambling about his latest projects.

Steve sipped at his drinks listening to Stark ramble and adding vague comments when they seemed needed. He was waiting for the other man to finally pass out; considering how drunk he was it took a few hours. He tucked Tony into the couch with a blanket over him and closed the workshop door hearing it lock behind him with a beep.

“Jarvis?” He asked glancing around the deserted hallway.

“How can I help you, Captain Rogers?”

“Can you show me where Clint is?”

“Agent Barton is currently on the Pent House level. That floor is sealed to all entry except for Master Stark.” Jarvis said continuing after a pause when Steve was about to interrupt, “However, I may be able to bring him down in the elevator to meet you.”

“Do I need a med kit?” Steve asked steeling himself for the answer.

“It would not hurt, nor would a blanket.” Jarvis said slowly.

“Let me get that together first then while he gets to the elevator. Can you show me where everything is?” Steve bit out fighting with his instinct to storm back in and demand answers from the drunken superhero in the other room.

His first look at the drugged man in the elevator punched the air from his lungs. One year ago Clint had been the only unassisted human on a team of super heroes, now he was a skeleton of a man too drugged and exhausted to understand what was happening. If Steve didn’t kill Stark, Natasha definitely would when she got back on US soil, she’d spoken of the agent often with fondness whenever they worked together on a mission.

“Does he need a hospital or just to get off the drugs?” Steve asked taking in the glazed stare and dilated pupils that were sluggishly watching his every move as he carefully wrapped the man up and lifted the too slight weight.

“I have been trying to ensure his maintenance however Master Stark often refused or overrode my suggestions. When he was alone and conscious I was able to order Agent Barton to eat and drink but it was more sporadic then I wished.”

“Do you know a doctor who might check him out without reporting things? The last thing we need is for the media to get wind of Stark abusing his submissive, who’s also an Avenger. I can take him to a hospital but I’ll have to give a name for his owner.” Honestly, Steve wanted to force Stark to deal with things but he knew it would hurt Clint in the process when he needed all his energy to recover.

“Dr. Renee Brown previously worked as the Tower Physician and has treated him before, her address will be on your phone. She is waiting on your arrival.”

“Thank you, Jarvis.” Steve said taking a breath as the doors opened to the garage, “Tell Stark I’ll kill him if he tries to track me or Clint down. As of this point he’s lost the little respect I had for him.”

“If I may, Miss Potts helped arrange the contract for Agent Barton. She would be able to see to its cancelation. I’ve added her contact information to your phone as well.”

“Alright, thank you. I’ll call and let you know once Clint’s doing better.” He said stepping out of the elevator and hitting the button on his phone to pop the trunk. He dropped the med kit inside before shifting Clint to one arm and opening the back door.

“Thank you, Captain, for listening when he asked for assistance.” Jarvis said as Steve eased Clint into the car and got him buckled in.

“Wish us luck,” Steve said with a sigh, glancing at where Clint was curled up in the back seat. “We might need it.”

“Feel free to contact me if you need assistance of any kind, I’ll do what I can.” Jarvis said.

“That’s all any of us can do, Jarvis.”

***

Steve eyed the run down dinner with a frown but he needed a break from driving and Clint needed to eat something that wasn’t fast food or a bottled premade protein shakes. The waitress and cook watched them come in and take a booth in the back but the rest of the dinner was empty. She hustled over with a pair of menus but frowned as she took in the state Clint was in.

“I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t allow submissives to be in subspace while in the restaurant.”

“I know and I’m sorry. His Dom drugged him down, I’m just trying to get some food into him before we hit the road again.” He said moving to gather up his coat.

“Patches?” she asked eying the dark circles under Clint’s eyes and his sunken cheeks.

“Yeah.” Steve said with a wince, the doctor had thought they caught the starvation in time but it would be months before he got back up to a healthy weight, much less going on missions again.

“How long ago did you take the last patch off?”

“Three days ago, why?” He asked glancing between her and Clint.

“I have a friend who got drugged with those Drop Patches, it took three days to work out of her system and then she slept for two days straight. It was something to do with their brains resetting. You might want to get a hotel here in town before it catches up with him.”

“You might be right,” Steve said with a sigh, catching Clint’s hand when he started to reach for his neck, “Hey, no. That’s Phil’s collar, Clint. I took Tony’s off, it’s not on to hurt you any more, promise.”

The waitress eyed the ring of healing bruises and scabs around Clint’s neck with sad eyes, “Let me get you drinks while you decide, coffee and maybe a milkshake for him?”

“That sounds great, thank you.” Steve said blowing out a relieved breath and setting his things back down, he could have driven a while longer but he honestly needed a break after nearly three days of nonstop driving, except for bathroom breaks and a handful of hours to rest or stops to make sure Clint ate something.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking, you’re not his new Dom are you?” she asked as he got Clint to start drinking his milkshake once she brought it and a pot of coffee to the table.

“No, just a friend.” Steve said taking the menu she offered, “We worked together and I was out of the country most of last year. When I got back I went to visit and found him like this. His original Dom died in the Battle of New York, he was contracted to Tony right afterward.”

“Not on the run, are you?”

“What time is it?” His phone was in the car with the battery removed just in case someone wanted to track them.

“Three pm on Monday.”

“Then the appeal to cancel his contract went in two hours ago.” Steve said with a grin blowing on his hot coffee.

“That’s fast; my friend’s took six months.” She said with a surprised glance at the pair of them.

“I called in a few major favors; I didn’t want Tony trying to track us down.” Steve said tugging Clint’s sleeves up to his elbows so he would stop worrying at the cuffs.

“Tony?” Clint asked, blinking up at them in confusion with a frown.

“He’s not here, Clint. You need to finish your drink.” Steve said trying not to sigh when the younger man arched into the light touch as he rubbed his shoulders.

“Jarvis?” Clint asked his tone more hopeful.

“Jarvis is keeping an eye on Tony, Clint. He’s fine.” Steve said gently nudging the cup to get Clint’s attention, “Finish your drink.”

“How long was he down?” the waitress asked softly, Steve absently noted the name tag, Doris.

“I don’t know,” Steve said with a sigh, rubbing a hand across his face, “Somewhere between six and eight months?”

“Seriously?” she blurted looking at Clint in shock.

“Best guess.” He said with a shrug watching as the submissive sipped at his drink.

“I’m sorry, here I am talking and you haven’t even ordered yet. What would you like?” she asked pulling out a pad and pen.

“Burger and fries?” Steve asked not even bothering to glance through the menu, he’d eat whatever was put in front of him at this point.

“We have the biggest burgers in town, all the way?” she said with a knowing look.

“Everything you can fit on a bun.” He said with a tired smile.

“You got it. I’ll be right back with your food, do you want anything else for him?”

“No, I’m still trying to get him back on solid food that isn’t a protein bar.”

He was playing a simple game of tic-tac-toe with Clint when his food came. He wasn’t sure if Clint was just doing what he said or if he actually understood the game he was playing but it kept him moving and awake for the moment. When he paid the waitress gave them the address to a hotel nearby and two big to go cups of lemonade in a carrier.

He all but poured a yawning Clint into a bed once they got a room. Steve eyed the small double bed but it was clean and mostly unworn taking it a few points up from where he normally stayed while on missions for Shield. Clint was acting touch starved anyway, leaning against Steve at every opportunity and arching into the smallest touch. He slept curled against Steve’s back like he was afraid Steve was going to disappear in the night.

Steve had called in and said he’d be unavailable for a few weeks, refusing to give Fury any more information. They already had to have seen him with Clint on surveillance if they’d been keeping watch on the team at all. He’d left a message for Natasha but knew she wouldn’t be able to call until she was state side probably.

Clint was dead to the world for the next three days, barely waking up when Steve prodded him into the bathroom twice a day and forced some water down before collapsing back into bed. Steve lived off take out, not wanting to leave the room in case Clint needed him. He’d never been so happy to hear someone curse when Clint finally started moving midafternoon of the fourth day.

“Fuck.” Clint moaned curling up tighter under the blankets.

“Starting to finally wake up?” Steve asked forcing his voice to be light and teasing.

“Steve?” He asked shifting out of his pile of blankets, Steve helping gently when he got tangled.

“Hey, sorry to took so long to get your message. I came as soon as I heard.” He said with a sad smile while Clint glanced around the room relaxing when he saw it wasn’t the tower.

“You came.” Clint said thickly, letting Steve help him sit up against the headboard.

“Want some water?” He asked getting up and snagging a bottle from the small mini fridge.

“Yeah, buckets. Think something died in my mouth.” Clint said making a face and rubbing at the scruff on his chin, Steve hadn’t been comfortable enough to try and shave the other man while he was down.

“Shower’s all yours once you’re ready.”

“Spare clothes?” Clint asked handing the bottle back with a frown at his shaking hand when he’d drank most of it.

“I picked you up a few pair. I had to guess on the sizes, you lost some weight.” Steve said trying not to wince when Clint immediately tugged the blankets aside and started cursing.

“I’m going to kill him.”

“Pretty sure Natasha’s going to do that once she gets back.” Steve pointed out handing him a change of clothes, he at least got a slight chuckle at the Captain America boxers.

“She doesn’t know?”

“She’s out of town on a mission. I couldn’t get a message out and trust it to be secure so I left one for her on base.”

“I’ll call one of her burner phones and leave a message.” He said with a huff, “How long?”

“It’s been seven days since I got you out. You spent the last three days sleeping off the last of the drugs.”

“Explains why I feel like a limp rag.” Clint said disappearing into the bathroom, not calling him on the evasion.

Steve did his best to ignore how long the shower ran. Clint finally came out pink skinned, shaved, and plucking at the too loose shirt. He let Steve dry his too long hair with a towel, jokingly calling him Sir when he helped with his boots as well.

“There’s a dinner down the street or we can order take out, your call.” Steve offered once Clint was ready.

“Some place we can sit down sounds good. Does Fury already know?”

“I called in for a few weeks, he didn’t disagree.” Steve said with a shrug, locking the door behind them.

“Where are we exactly?” Clint asked squinting in the midday sun.

“A small town in Montana.” Steve said realizing he didn’t even know what the town was called. “We needed to stop for food and this was the first place I found.”

They walked the two blocks to the dinner slowly. Steve took the time to put his phone back together and check for messages. Pepper had sent a text saying the contract was now voided that he showed to Clint. He sent a quick text to Pepper and Jarvis saying Clint was off the medication and starting to do better before turning the phone back off.

“Is that your Stark phone?” Clint asked eying the thin rectangle.

“Yeah, why?”

“We need to get you a new phone, Stark’s able to remotely turn on the GPS using Jarvis. He tracked Pepper down that way a few times.” Clint said as they approached the dinner, snorting when Steve opened the door for him.

Muttering about perfect Doms, he took a booth to one side with good sightlines of the rest of the restaurant, Steve trailing after him with an amused expression. There were a few families getting a late lunch but it was still too early for the dinner rush leaving most of the dinner deserted. Doris came out the back with a tray of drinks for a nearby table and said she would be right with them, giving Clint and Steve a sunny smile.

“We came here before?”

“Three days ago, you had a milkshake for dinner and I got the hamburger plate.”

“I don’t remember that.” Clint said with a frown glancing around the place again.

“Doris was our waitress then too.”

“She owns the place, the cook’s a family member, probably her husband.”

“Really? Explains the long shifts.” Steve said glancing at the man next to him.

Clint looked tired but his eyes were sharp and taking in every detail around him which made something in Steve relax. He’d been worried the other man wouldn’t come back to himself once the drugs wore off. He knew it would take months to get him back in shape for missions but they had the time right now at least.

“Sorry for the wait,” Doris said as she bustled over to their table, “Our special today is Chili Mac with ground beef, cheese, pasta, tomatoes, corn, black beans and zucchini. Our soup of the day is Chicken and Rice. What can I get you boys to drink?”

“Sweet tea?” Clint asked with a hopeful look.

“Unsweet or hot only, sorry, you can add sugar as you like. We do have great milkshakes if you’re interested.” She said opening a menu to the drink list for them.

“Diet Pepsi’s fine then.” He said with a shrug.

“Water for me.” Steve said.

“Are you two ready to order or do you need a minute?”

“I’ll take the soup.” Clint said handing over his menu and glancing at Steve.

“Cheeseburger plate, all the way.”

“Coming up.” She said gathering the menus and giving Clint a smile, “Good to see your doing better, son.”

“Sweet tea?” Steve asked once she was out of ear shot, fiddling with his napkin roll of silverware.

“I trained for a few months at an air force base in Georgia.” Clint said with a shrug propping his chin on one fist while he watched the street out the window, “I tend to crave it when I’m sick.”

“I’ve never had it.”

“It’s good, a guy there used to call it Liquid Crack. He liked it so sweet you could crunch the sugar crystals as you drank it.”

“Sounds lethal.” Steve said with a smile relaxing, it was good to see his friend coming back to him.

“What isn’t anymore?” Clint said with a sigh and a wry smile. “I’ll make you some when we find a home base.”

They used the next few days to get Clint outfitted with some more clothes and necessities before they had to hit the road again. Steve had been planning to head out on the second day when Clint started having sub drops at the smallest prompt. Anything seemed to be able to set him off, a couple arguing near them, being bumped on the street, someone acting angry and looking in his direction.

For now they seemed safe enough but they’d need to find somewhere else to stay then a dumpy hotel if they stayed in town much longer. They were sitting on a bench waiting for Clint to come back up from his latest drop when Steve spotted the sign for apartments above the stores downtown. The town didn’t have much business so most of the shops were shuttered but it would give them some space to train in private. It wasn’t like he didn’t have the money.

“Was down?” Clint slurred blinking up a Steve from where he was slumped against his side.

“Yeah, just for a few minutes.” Steve said running a hand through the newly cropped archer’s hair and checking his forehead for fever or chills, whatever his body was going through seemed to send him into random sweats and chills.

“Sorry.”

“We need to start planning our next move anyway. Would you be open to staying here?” Steve asked brushing aside the apology. The agent seemed to automatically apologize for things coming out of a drop, it made Steve want to track down his previous Doms and violently show them how little they deserved Clint.

“Here in town?” Clint asked twisting to glance up at the taller man.   
“Yeah, there are apartments downtown and we both could use a little downtime.” Steve said with a shrug.

“Liar,” Clint huffed pulling himself up with a grunt and wrapping his arms around his chest, “I know I’m slowing you down, don’t sugar coat it.”

“I don’t have anywhere else to be.” Steve said with another shrug dropping his arm over Clint’s shoulders and glaring at the looks a passing older gentleman was giving them. “Until Shield or Jarvis come up with a location for the Winter Soldier here’s as good as anywhere else.”

“You thinking the ones across the street?”

“Yeah, or closer to the edge of town.”

“I could set up an archery target or two on the roof,” Clint said with a sigh, “I wish I’d thought to get my bows from the tower.”

“There’s got to be a hunting supply store around, we can get you a basic kit. Might should get a rifle anyway, all I have are my handguns.”

“You keep Dom-ing me around town and I’m going to need a collar or people are going to talk.” Clint said eyeing a couple of kids that were walking on the other side of the street towards the nearby park.

“Let them,” Steve said with a snort, “We need to sort out a contract anyway in case I have to get you medical care or something. Stark canceled all your insurance through Shield.”

“At least my personal accounts are still there, I checked that yesterday at the library. We should pick up a laptop as well if you’re planning to ditch most of the Shield gear.”

“Do you have a house anywhere, anywhere you want to head?”

“I had a place in D.C. but mostly I stayed on base. It would have been closed up anyway when Phil died since his name was on the lease.”

“I never realized how much crap submissives go through trying to get things done without a Dom.” Steve said with a sigh, “Kind of thought that would have improved in seventy years.”

“Most of the reason I stayed with Shield so long, ignoring Phil and Natasha. They dealt with all that crap so I didn’t have to. Most of the time it’s okay but you still hit traditionalists in the weirdest places.”

“You up to walking back to the hotel?”

“Yeah, let’s go through the gear and see what we have. Might as well get a list going if we’re going to stay.”


	4. Chapter 4

Clint finished his last round of sit ups and hauled himself into bed with a groan. He was slowly putting muscle back on his frame but he still was fighting with random drops in to sub-drop or even simply into subspace with no warning. They’d been in the downtown apartment three months now and even the regulars around town were finally starting to accept the new pair even if they weren’t quite seen as locals yet.

He glanced at his watch with a sigh, forcing himself out of the comfortable mattress and into the bathroom to clean up. Steve continued to surprise him. He was too used to dominants who used their power over submissives to get out of the duties they didn’t want or for sex. Steve never pushed, no matter how often they wound up waking up tangled together.

They’d drawn up a simple contract so that Steve could deal with things if Clint was hurt or incapacitated by a drop but hadn’t taken things further than that. Clint kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Steve to force the issue or for Tony to demand him back. He’d always dropped easily and after spending half a year drugged down he’d fought constantly when he arrived at Shield refusing every Dom that so much as looked at him too long. Only Phil had shown the patience and care necessary to gain his trust.He thought he’d never find another Dom like Phil yet here he was with Steve, a Dom who seemed willing to put Clint first if needed but also wanting him fighting by his side.

It definitely wasn’t the chaste relationship he’d had with Phil however. He’d started dreaming about the Captain now that his libido was cranking back up leading to some embarrassing mornings where he bolted for the shower, trying not to moan as he jerked off under the still heating water.He’d seen the Captain checking him out a few times as well so it definitely wasn’t one sided but the other man seemed in no hurry to change the status quo they had going on.

He pulled on the bulky hoodie he’d stolen from Steve’s drawer and headed towards the dinner humming to himself. It was a long walk but he wanted the exercise, no matter how much he seemed to push himself the climb back to his former self was slow going. Too many things still set him off, forcing him to retreat to deal with a panic attack or to ward off a drop. He couldn’t go back to Shield or even try to find steady work until he got his head back together.

He gave a small grin to Steve when he ducked through the door seeing the man waiting for him in a back booth. A crash had him shifting closer to the wall without thought, training taking over as a man started screaming at the front counter and drew a gun, waving in Doris’ face. He noted Steve slipping out of the booth and ghosting his way forward but Clint was only steps away.

A barked “Hey!” had the guy spinning towards the door, the gun following. Clint moved, three blows later he left the guy on the ground moaning. He stripped the gun and tossed the parts without pause, setting the magazine on the counter while Steve pulled Doris away from the line of fire.

The police arrived moments later and he backed out of the way letting them grab the idiot while he moaned about police brutality. Clint leaned against a wall and gave his statement trying to ignore the way his hands were starting to shake now that the adrenaline was wearing off. Steve stayed with Doris until she nodded to Clint and pushed him his way.

Clint was surprised at how grateful he was when Steve tugged him forward into a lose hug. He tucked his face into the crook of Steve’s neck and let himself shake while Steve murmured soft nonsense into his ear. He knew he was edging on subspace and fought to push himself up right, away from the warmth that was tugging at him to go down and please his Sir.

“Alright?” Steve asked not letting him go completely, keeping a grip on Clint’s wrists.

“I’m good, you can let go.” He said glancing away from Steve to survey the room and lightly tugging at his hands.

“Tell me the truth.” Steve said tightening his grip as he tugged Clint back against him when he moved to pull away.

Clint couldn’t stop the small whine from bursting out his throat at being manhandled, he was teetering on the edge of subspace and Steve seemed to hit every button without even trying. He shuddered and couldn’t stop the slight hitch of his hips against Steve’s thigh. He watched Steve’s eyes widen as he suddenly realized what was happening and let go. He pressed himself against the other man for one more breath before forcing himself to push away, slumping against the wall.

Steve went to wrap things up with the police leaving Clint trying to get him head back together. He could go either way, drop or subspace, and right now both were a bad option. Doris was curled against her husband and Steve went back to the booth to grab his phone and jacket before coming back to stand next to Clint.

“Are you hurt?” He asked, concerned face tightening when Clint wasn’t able to immediately respond.

“Not injured.” Clint managed trying to count his breathes and edge himself back, he didn’t want to drop right now and he doubted Steve wanted him in subspace in public.

“Can you walk back to the shop?” He asked watching Clint take deep breathes, flexing his hands.

“Sure.” Clint said with a vague nod, trying to ignore how hard it was to push away from the wall and follow him out the door.

Steve kept a careful foot of space between them, clearly not wanting to set him off again. Normally as an agent Clint was known for compartmentalizing and forcing his way through a situation but between coming off the drugs and Loki’s mind control he was so off balance he was spinning. Clint wasn’t sure he didn’t want to push Steve into handling him in subspace either which left him shivering as the larger man herded him up the steps and into the large loft apartment they were renting.

“What do you need, Clint?” Steve asked tugging him into the bedroom and sitting him on the bed while he got the wood stove in one corner going.

“Don’t know.” Clint said before straightening up with a determined nod, “I’m fine.”

He ignored the exasperated look Steve gave him as he fought his boots off and stripped out of the hoodie. The room was cold and he curled on top of the sheets cuddling the fabric in his arms, it even still smelled slightly of Steve he noted absently. Finished with the wood stove, Steve dropped a blanket over Clint and settled against the headboard sighing when Clint immediately shifted to lean into his warmth.

“We need to discuss a contract if you want to change things.” Steve said softly, stroking a hand along his shoulders.

“You don’t want that.” Clint said keeping his eyes on the door.

“Trust me, I want it. Come over here.” Steve said with a huff, tugging Clint between his legs so he was sprawled on top of the other man arms wrapped around his waist and head on his chest. “I didn’t want to push you when you were just getting over everything.”

“I’m not a good Sub.” Clint muttered, “Even Phil said I talk too much.”

“Maybe I like a mouthy Sub, you ever think about that?” Steve asked stroking a big hand down Clint’s shoulders and spine.

“I’m holding you back.” Clint said shuddering as he pressed his face into Steve’s chest and soaked up the warmth and affection Steve was all but radiating.

“I’m where I want to be, you’re not doing anything I don’t want.” He said stroking the back of Clint’s head and neck.

“I don’t want another collar; I’m not taking Phil’s off.”

“I don’t expect you to take Phil’s collar off and I can’t really blame you after the crappy one Tony made you wear. We’ll figure something out.”

“Okay.”Clint said. Steve shifted and Clint clutched at him for a moment in panic.

“Just want to lie next to you, or you could come up here.” Steve said tipping Clint’s head so he could meet his eyes, “Not letting you go anytime soon, I promise.”

“You really want me as a Sub?” Clint asked once they were both settled, legs tangled together and his nose pressed into the hollow of Steve’s throat.

“I’ve wanted you since we fought together in New York. I never liked the Subs you see in the magazines and films that laze around and live off their Doms. I wanted someone who could be at my side.”

“Would like that,” Clint murmured, “Never liked being left behind or being forced to kneel for no reason.”

“We’re going to have to talk about this again when you aren’t half down.” Steve said, pulling the other man tighter against him for a long moment.

“I’m not down.” Clint muttered, snuggling in closer.

“You’re not up.” Steve said with a snort, rubbing at the smaller man’s back. “Go to sleep. We’ll figure everything out in the morning.”

Clint woke hours later and fuzzily glanced around the room. Steve was missing but it sounded like he was in the kitchen. The room had heated up and he stripped down and pulled on a pair of sleep pants. Wandering along yawning, he shuffled up to where Steve was reading the paper and leaned against him making him laugh softly.

“You need a shower.”

“Tired,” Clint whined playing up the needy submissive.

A knock at the door to their floor had them both straightening up. Clint palmed a knife off the counter but Steve waved him back. He shifted behind the counter and discretely put the knife up as Steve greeted the town Sherriff and let him step in.

“As you can see, he’s not really up to questioning yet.” Steve said gesturing to where Clint was slumped against the countertop shirtless and looking like the poster child for a Sub in drop with his thin body and mussed hair.

“Do you mind if I ask you a few questions? Some of the customers were concerned about a submissive showing that level of training, no offense to you or your Sub of course.”

“I can understand that, let me grab some credentials.” Steve said moving towards the bedroom, “Clint, get the coffee going, please.”

“Yes, sir,” Clint said straightening up and filling the pot up at the sink, he disliked having the officer at his back but he was harmless for the most part compared to most of the guys he’d fought.

Steve came back with his government ID and a copy of Clint’s contract handing them both over and pouring out a cup of coffee for each of them before taking a seat at the bar. Clint ignored the coffee and dropped to his knees to lean against Steve’s legs, the picture of a submissive ceding control of the situation to his dominant.

“You haven’t been his Dom very long.” The sheriff said, glancing over the paperwork.

“I was out of the country for about a year on assignment. Before that we worked together on several government operations. In the Battle of New York Clint’s dominant was killed and he got forced into a bad situation by his emergency dominant. I became his dominant when I got back and saw what was going on.”

“And you brought him here?” The sheriff asked glancing around the room like they’d have a weapons cache sitting out or a few pounds of cocaine.

“We both needed some time away from New York.” Steve said with an innocent shrug, “Neither of us has family and here was as good as anywhere else.”

“The form doesn’t list what his collar looks like.” He said handing back the papers.

“We haven’t picked up a collar yet, he’s still wearing his old Dom’s collar.”

“The one that died?”

“Yes, he was his registered dominant for over ten years.”

“And where is his government ID?”

“His last Dom forced him to quit, he has a standing offer to return to work once he’s back stable.” Steve said firmly.

The sheriff grumbled but eventually said no one was pressing charges, Steve showing him to the door with a polite smile. Clint climbed to his feet slowly; he knew they probably needed to start moving again if the police were questioning them. He eyed the few possessions they’d gained in the months of living in the apartment with a resigned look; he was getting tired of losing everything.

“Go get a shower and get dressed, Clint.” Steve said turning off the coffee pot and gathering up the paperwork.

“Do we need to start packing?”

“We have our go bags if we need them. I’ll make sure everything’s ready just in case.” He said glancing around the apartment, “Do me a favor?”

“What?” Clint asked blinking at him with the abrupt question.

“Don’t kneel for me. I know you were just trying to head off trouble but you don’t have to kneel for me. I meant it when I said I wanted you at my side.”

“Good,” Clint said pushing forward and pressing a kiss to the edge of Steve’s jaw before he could react, “but I didn’t mind kneeling for you, I know you won’t abuse it.”

Clint was across the room and shutting the bathroom door before Steve could react. He grinned to himself as he stripped and started the water, he rather hoped that night would be more than cuddling but it was up to Steve. He took a bit longer than normal in the shower letting his erection ease off, going to his knees for Steve had sent half his blood supply straight to his cock, hiding that in a loose pair of sleep pants hadn’t been easy.

The rest of the day was spent sorting supplies and loading what they wanted to keep into their go bags. He wouldn’t even be able to practice with his bow or the rifle until things calmed down a bit but it was a small sacrifice to know that Doris and her husband were safe. He wanted to complain when Steve forced him to head to bed but cuddling with his Dom until sleep claimed him was something he rarely got to indulge in.


	5. Chapter 5

The next two weeks were a slow exploration of their new relationship. Clint worked out while Steve did research in the library or on his laptop trying to track down rumors of the Winter Soldier. He helped where he could searching the news articles and showing Steve how a Shield Analyst would have hunted the man. Ten years at the elbow of one of Shield’s top agents meant he could have been running his own operations or handling other agents but he’d liked working under Phil and with Natasha too much to accept the role change. Steve soaked up the knowledge and soon was feeding articles back to Shield and Jarvis in hopes of narrowing the search.

Clint blinked in surprise when Steve dragged him into a jewelry and collar shop on the second day. He wandered the shop while Steve talked to the owner trying to imagine Steve putting any of the collars displayed on him but coming up blank, nothing looked like something the man would use as his mark of ownership. Every piece seemed uncomfortable, too bulky for their line of work, or too gaudy.

He was called over to Steve’s side after a while and measured for both collar and cuffs before Steve guided him out of the store. They went to dinner at one of the nicer restaurants in town, a steak house that catered to the skiers that came through in the winter. During the off season the place was pleasantly empty except for a handful of locals at the bar.

“You know you don’t exactly have to wine and dine me, I’m kind of a done deal at this point.” Clint said with a small grin once the waiter had taken their order and left them in the dimly lit corner booth.

“Maybe I want to spoil you a bit, seems to me you’ve earned it.” Steve said with a sad look in his eyes.

“I’m still waiting for you to realize you got the bad end of the deal.” Clint muttered sipping at his water, neither of them was drinking but he found himself relaxing anyway with Steve sitting this close.

“Not going to happen, I know a good deal when I see one.”

“Tease,” Clint muttered trying to keep his voice low.

“Only if you don’t let me fuck you at the end of the night,” Steve said with a smirk.

“Jesus, you can’t say shit like that to me in public.” Clint said choking on a sip of water.

“Don’t like dirty talk?”

“Like it too much, you’re going to have me skipping dinner if you keep going.” Clint said letting his gaze dip to the unbuttoned collar and the hint of collarbones Steve’s shirt exposed.

“Can’t have that,” Steve said with a lazy smile, “consider it your first order of the night.”

“To eat dinner?” Clint asked blinking, forcing himself to pay attention to the conversation and not how tight his pants were getting.

“To take what I offer you,” Steve said eyes skimming intently over the other man, “Will you submit enough to let me take care of you tonight?”

“I can’t go down here.” Clint said softly glancing around the room at the scattered staff and diners cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

“I never said anything about being down,” Steve murmured smiling and going silent as their drinks were served, continuing once the waiter was out of earshot, “Let me take care of you.”

“A Sub’s supposed to take care of his Dom.” Clint said.

“A submissive is supposed to allow his dominant control of his body and life to various extents depending on their contract. I want you to let me take care of you.”

“You have been, you took care of me while I was drugged and while I was dropping randomly.” Clint insisted, “I’m good now, you don’t have to.”

“You were sick then, that doesn’t count in my mind, anyone would have done the same.” Steve said his face shuttering into the stubborn look Clint was learning to spot.

“Few people do.” Clint pointed out with a bitter smile.

“I’m sure Phil did, I do, and I can think of a few other people we know that would step up if you needed them.”

“I know that, it’s just different.” Clint insisted.

“How is letting me pamper you wrong?”

“Because you don’t have to, I can feed myself right now.” Clint snapped his temper getting the better of him. “You don’t have to take care of me all the time. I’m an adult; I don’t need to be babied.”

“I never said anything about all the time. I told you, I want you at my side, not on your knees.” Steve said, “I don’t want to baby you or talk down to you. I just want to pamper my new submissive, it’s not like either of us get a lot of downtime with our jobs and I’d like to spend tonight showing you exactly why I want you as my Sub.”

“So you won’t get mad when I talk back?” Clint pressed needing to know his limits.

“No, we’ve argued enough to show that we won’t kill each other over something stupid. I’m not going to punish you for talking back.” Steve said with a sigh, “What did Phil punish you for generally?”

“Jumping off buildings without backup or at least two ways to get to the ground on my own.” Clint recited off like it was something he’d been asked over and over again making Steve grin.

“I kind of agree with that one but you’d have to punish me for the same so I can’t say much. What else?”

“I don’t get punished for disobeying an order if I can prove that my change had a better outcome or saved lives that would have been impossible with the original plan.”

“What about outside of work?”

“I had to follow the Shield manual and hierarchy while on base. The only time I was allowed to bend the rules was if a Dom was being an ass.”

“Sound policy, I’d add informing your Dom but I know you can handle yourself.” Steve said with a shrug. “What else?”

“We didn’t have a lot of formal rules.” Clint said with his own shrug, starting to calm down now that they’d changed the subject, “Mostly I just went to him if I needed to be down or if I was having issues with the Doms at work.”

“We’re not going to be much different, you know. We can spell everything out in the contract if you like but I expect you to be your own person. You don’t have to act like my submissive outside of the bedroom; I don’t expect you to change for me, Clint. I want you just the way you are.”

“So, you want to pamper me how exactly?” Clint asked after the conversation lagged into silence a beat too long.

“Right now I want to order a meal for both of us and feed you. Are you okay doing that in public?”

“Never really did hand feeding out of subspace.” Clint muttered blushing.

“We can get the food to go if it bothers you.”

“No, it’s fine.” Clint said knowing he was beet red as the waiter came back to take their order. Steve placed their order for the shared plate of steak and sides, ordering water for both of them since it wouldn’t be fair for Clint to be buzzed while Steve was sober.

“You said right now, what about later?” he asked with a weak smirk trying to gain a bit more control of the conversation.

“I want to strip you down and learn every inch of your skin, see what sounds you make, and learn your sensitive spots, what makes you moan and what makes you scream, take you apart until all you can do is moan.” Steve said matter of fact-ly, eyes tracing along Clint’s skin.

“Would I be allowed to participate?” Clint asked with a teasing grin.

“I’d want you to,” Steve said with an answering grin, “We have plenty of time to play with ropes later after I spread you out and fuck you.”

“God, no one would believe me that Captain America talks dirty and flirts.” Clint said shivering slightly at the smoldering look Steve was giving him.

“I was in the Army you know,” Steve said with a grin, “you learn to cuss as part of boot camp.”

“And the flirting?” Clint asked taking a sip of his water.

“That was all Bucky; he’d pick the prettiest Sub in the bar while I was still trying to get one to talk to me. I had no patience for the meek things. Guess I was waiting on one who could talk back.”

“Bite your tongue.”

“Bite it for me.” Steve said with a grin as their plates were brought to the table.

“You’re evil, Steve Rogers.” Clint muttered once the waiter wandered away, “I don’t know why everyone’s so convinced you’re nothing but apple pie and snow white virtue.”

“Pretty sure that was Howard playing up my virtues so they’d continue funding the search.” Steve said with a snort cutting up the steak and potato, “He made a game of coming up with the most outrageous missions and stories, even wrote up a fake journal with all the stupid details.”

“That would actually explain a lot.” Clint said with a chuckle, “Phil had analyzed a few of the war stories versus the known missions and too many of them overlapped to be all true.”

“So you don’t think I’m Saint Captain America?”

“No, you are, just not all the time.” Clint said with a grin leaning forward and taking the first bite of steak Steve offered him.

Somehow they made it home without over eating, bringing a ton of food back that would probably be a midnight snack for the super soldier. The walk home had been torture, while before Steve had kept a careful distance between them, now he seemed to constantly be touching Clint in some fashion. They didn’t hold hands but Clint realized he might not have minded if they did.

Clint crawled into bed fully clothed with a groan only pausing to kick off his boots. Steve came in a minute later setting a box on the bedside table, Clint recognized the jewelry store’s logo on the side. He raised an eyebrow and grinned at the shy blush he got in response. He peeled off his shift and tossed it into the basket on the other side of the room stretching and enjoying knowing his Dom approved.

“I thought you decided not to order anything?”

“I’d ordered it the day before, I just wanted to double check the sizes.” Steve said with a shy smile, “You can wait to open it if you want.”

“No, now you have me curious. Most of the stuff was so over the top I couldn’t picture you using it.” Clint said dragging himself up to sit at the headboard next to Steve.

Steve stroked a hand down Clint’s back and side like he couldn’t help himself before handing over the thin box. It was unwrapped so Clint carefully pried off the lid and handed it back to Steve before pulling away the top layer of tissue paper. Inside a thin black steel chain held a single bead with Steve’s initials next to a pair of thin black leather wrist cuffs with black metal d rings.

“I thought you could wear it with Phil’s collar or put the bead from it on this one, it’s up to you.”

“Why the cuffs?”

“You like having your wrists held. I thought it might help when we’re both are away on missions.” Steve said plucking one from the box and unbuckling it so he could show the initials discretely engraved on the back of the buckle.

“No shield?” Clint teased shivering slightly as the first cuff went on.

“Captain America isn’t your Dom.” He said pressing kiss to Clint’s other wrist before he buckled on the second cuff, “Steven Grant Rogers is your Dom.”

Clint shuddered at the touch, mentally separating each instance he’d seen Steve into “The Captain” and “Steve Rogers”. It wasn’t a hard line to draw; he did tend to act differently when he was out of the spotlight or away from a command situation.

“So I don’t have to kneel for the Captain?”

“Never, I want you at my side, watching my back and me watching yours.”

“I can do that.” Clint agreed as Steve slowly pushed him back into the mattress straddling his hips. “And when you’re just Steve?”

“I want you in every way I can have you.”

“Please.” Clint whined, melting into the kiss Steve pressed to his lips.

***

“You said you used the drugs before.” Steve said slowly several days later.

“The Drop patches?” Clint asked blinking up at the other man from his sprawl on the carpet next to the couch.

“Yeah, why would you drug yourself down like that?”

“Wasn’t exactly my choice,” Clint said with a snort sitting up and leaning against Steve’s legs, “I was working as a mercenary around the US and this group hired me a few times in a row. They offered me a full time job but I liked working solo so I refused, they drugged me when they caught up the next time. If you use Drop on a Dominant it just sedates them for a few hours. I was down for weeks at a time, their hooded hawk.”

“How’d you get away?”

“Shield started watching the group when their kill rate went up suddenly. I’d been down for months before they got me out.”

“They were sending you out on missions drugged?”

“Yeah, amazing it worked that long. Apparently I’m just as lethal down as up.” He said giving the man a feral grin.

“So you became Phil’s submissive after that?”

“Not at first, I was kind of messed up and it took a while for me to heal up and get back level. I pretty much fought off any Dom that tried to get near me for a while. Phil had been acting as an unofficial Dom for those two years, he took me on as a full time Sub and as an agent that only answered to him and Fury.”

“I can’t imagine there are very many agents like that.”

“Me, Natasha, a few others you probably haven’t met.” Clint said with a shrug, “We were the pressure valve in Shield, the ones used when someone inside Shield was suspected of turning traitor. We did the missions that Fury didn’t want on the books, it didn’t happen often but you knew when the cleanup teams weren’t called in and the order to torch the place came in.”

“So Phil was Fury’s right hand and you were the blade.”

“Yeah, that’s a good way of saying it.”

“Come up here, can I hold you a bit?” Steve asked dropping a hand down to help Clint up.

“Yeah, everything okay?” Clint asked as he slid on top of the other man and slowly relaxing into his light hold.

“I know we both have impossible jobs but I don’t like the idea of you going through something like that.” Steve said gruffly tightening his hold, “I don’t intend to ever let you go now that I’ve found you.”

“You can’t promise that.” Clint said going tense.

“As long as I’m breathing, if you need me I won’t leave you hanging.”

“Like with Bucky,” Clint said with a sigh, grunting when Steve twisted them around and suddenly pinned him underneath him.

“Bucky wasn’t my Sub and partner.” Steve said watching the other man intently, “I want to help him and get him back but I’d burn the world down if someone tried to take you from me.”

“You can’t, could you imagine the news if Captain America went to war over a submissive?” Clint said trying to lighten the situation.

“Who said anything about Captain America? Steve Rogers went to war for his best friend. I’d start one for you, uniform or not.” Claiming Clint’s mouth in a kiss, after that they didn’t need to talk for a while, hands and bodies speaking for them.


	6. Chapter 6

“We need to get the bleeding stopped.” Steve said as he helped Clint collapse against a wall of the abandoned house they’d been using as a safe house.

They’d been hunting rumors of Bucky across the country for weeks now, returning to Montana to recover after each trip. This time they managed to catch him before he caught wind of them trailing him but he’d singled Clint out as the vulnerable one and shot him, a through and though in his side and out his back.

“I’m fine, go get him. I shot him several times; he’s going to be moving slow.” Clint said pushing the other man away from him before stripping off his gloves and arm guard and snatching up a rag to put pressure on his side.

“I’m not leaving you behind.”

“We need to catch him. Go get Bucky.” He panted, letting Steve strip him out of his armor and tear off the undershirt underneath revealing the ragged wound.

“We caught him this time, we’ll do it again.” Steve said firmly.

“There’s no time.” Clint insisted.

“Then we make time. It’ll take him twenty four hours at least to recover from a gunshot wound and get moving if he’s like me.”

“Phil thought he was like Natasha, not you, the soviet version of the serum.”

“Then we have even longer since she heals slower.”

“I’m not going to heal up in a few days, Cap.” Clint said hissing as Steve pressed against the wound tightening their makeshift bandage.

“Yeah, you will.” Steve said digging through his bag with one hand and pulling out tubing and needles, “I’m not leaving you behind and I’m not going after him with you injured so we have to improvise.”

“I don’t need a blood transfusion, hell, we don’t even know if you can do that.” Clint said struggling to push himself up against the wall as his vision greyed for a moment.

“I did it before for a guy during the war when one of my team took a bullet to the chest; I was the only one with O negative.” He said hands steady as he primed an IV line with saline. “Let me do this.”

“An infusion won’t let me heal up in twenty four hours, Steve, and we need you at full strength.”

“One with my blood will, the guy was up and walking the next day, Clint. Let me do this. It won’t wear me down, I promise.” He said already swabbing both their arms.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, but only because I know you’re going to do something stupid if I’m not there.”

“Says the guy who tried to stab a super soldier with an arrow,” Steve muttered sliding the needle into his own arm and then the other into Clint’s arm with a practiced hand.

“He was going to choke you out and you know it.” Clint snapped trying to will the anger to keep him conscious.

“Maybe,”

“Maybe my ass,” He panted, leaning against Steve’s leg as the blood ran into him.

“There’s my mouthy Sub.” Steve said with a smirk petting a hand through Clint’s short hair.

“Fix me up already so I can put my mouth to better use.” Clint said with a weak leer.

“When this is over we’re getting an expensive hotel somewhere and fucking over every inch of the place.”

“Love it when you talk dirty.” Clint muttered letting the darkness pull him down.

Clint woke up when Steve was easing him into the car sometime later. He woke a few more times when the drive jostled him or Steve stopped to get him water and more pain pills. The sleep was deep and dreamless, the healing taking all his energy.

“Thought we agreed the nonstop driving with no sleep was a bad thing.” Clint muttered watching Steve from the dim glow of the street lights.

“I wanted you somewhere safe and there’s not exactly a lot of places we can go that fit that.” Steve said giving him a quick once over.

“Shield?”

“Montana.”

“Rocky Springs isn’t safe, Steve. We’re getting known there, anyone who comes by and asks about two men new to town with military skills and half the town’s going to point to our door.”

“Doris would sell her first born before she sold us out.”

“The cops think we’re drug runners.” Clint said with a snort.

“They’re supposed to be suspicious of strangers, if we stay long enough then we’re not strangers.”

“In small towns you aren’t considered local until you’ve been there three generations, Steve. A few months isn’t going to do much.”

“I’ve been working odd jobs and you did that class at the range, we’re letting them think we’re useful to keep around.”

“Yeah, the class where half the idiot Doms demanded a refund when they realized a Sub was teaching gun safety?”

“The ones that stayed learned exactly how good you were.” Steve said with his jaw tightening, Clint figured it was in anger at the levels of stupidity still present in society.

“And the idiots that left spread rumors all over town asking about how a ragged unhealthy submissive was so good with firearms. I told you it was a stupid idea.” Clint muttered with a huff.

“How do you feel?” Steve asked changing the subject; he reached behind the seat and grabbed a bottle of water that he handed over.

“Pretty good all things considered, just tired.” Clint said prying himself up further in the seat and cracking open the water.

“Good.”

“We need to make sure that doesn’t get out, the last thing you need is even more crazy scientists after your blood.”

“Don’t remind me.” Steve said with a sigh signaling and pulling off at the next exit.

“Need a break?” Clint asked checking the super soldier for signs of strain in the dim light.

“Yeah, let’s find a hotel for the night.”

“Was I really out that long?”

“Only about a day but I did promise you a room with a real bed.” Steve said with a smirk.

“Yep, only the best for this Sub,” Clint said with a snort, “An actual door would be nice too.”

“Such a demanding thing, the next thing you know you’ll be wanting a gold collar.” Steve teased with a grin.

“I seem to remember a promise of fucking on every possible surface.”

“Maybe in the morning, we can start with the shower.”

“Promises, promises;” Clint said with a put upon sigh, relaxing at the smile on Steve’s face. It was good to have a Dom that cared.

***

“This is Steve.” He said answering his phone with a frown, he’d just stepped out to grab them some takeout for dinner and only a handful of people were supposed to have this number.

“How is he?” Natasha asked making Steve huff at her lack of introductions considering her caller ID came up as unlisted.

“Doing better, he’ll be glad to hear you’re back in the country.” Steve said continuing down the block towards the Chinese takeout place they liked, this was their second day back but Clint was still taking it easy since they didn’t know how his serum enhanced blood would effect a submissive.

“I’m going to be in DC for a while but you two need to stay lost for a bit.”

“What’s going on?” Steve asked pausing at the corner.

“Stark’s suing Pepper for his belongings, specifically the submissive he contracted for her.”

“Can he do that?”

“Technically Clint was solely his property while he stayed at the tower, he had a separate contract to work as a body guard for Pepper that Stark voided.”

“We have proof he abused Clint, kept him drugged for months while he sexually and physically abused and starved him.” Steve bit out fighting with his temper for a long moment, “Dr. Brown documented everything and Pepper has copies of all of the contracts. Dr. Brown was fired because she’d been called in to treat Clint when he threw up blood, he had ulcers even while he was down, Nat.”

“You still contracted to him after Stark, Steve. If he wins Clint would be remanded back to his care even if he’s currently your Sub. If things get messy it’s going to drag everything out, you’re past and Clint’s as well.”

“His mercenary days?”

“That’s clearly documented as abuse of a submissive but he worked alone for a while before that and not all the hits were strictly legal. Stark could also try and blackmail us with Loki. Magic’s never been proven in court and they’d be forced to treat him like a criminal.”

“What can we do?”

“Keep a low profile but keep it legal. We need proof that you’re being a caring Dom to Clint in case you both get called into testify. Don’t contact Pepper or Jarvis if you can help it.”

“Alright, keep us in the loop?”

“Of course.” She said with a sigh, “Tell Clint I’ll text him later.”

“Will do.”

Steve cursed softly and put his phone away, jogging across the street and to the restaurant. He picked up their order with a polite smile that fell off his face once he was out the door. He couldn’t keep this from Clint, they’d both agreed to not keep secrets from the other if they could help it. He just didn’t want the submissive worrying about yet another thing he had no control over.

“What’s got you looking so worried, Chinese look that bad?” Clint asked taking a bag from Steve as he came in.

“Natasha called, she said to text her later tonight if you want to talk.”

“What’s wrong?” Clint asked going still.

“Stark is suing for your contract.” Steve said carefully placing his bags down so he didn’t break the table.

“Are we being called in?” Clint asked setting the bag of food down woodenly, mind spinning in a hundred directions as he tried to guess which way the law suit would go.

“She’s going to DC to try and fight it and wants us to stay out of it and the papers for a while.” Steve said trying not to wince as he watched the other man retreat behind a mask.

“Did she tell you she requested a formal hit on Stark? Asked Fury and everything.” Clint asked after a long moment of silence as they unpacked the food.

“What?!” Steve sputtered looking at the other man in shock.

“Yeah, he had to refuse, Stark’s too public a figure for a hit to ever work but she asked.” Clint said with a bitter smile.

“You know you’re worth ten of him right?”

“Yeah, he’s what? A genius, millionaire philanthropist, dominant engineer and I’m an ex-carney, high school dropout, government agent submissive. Not exactly an even trade, Steve.”

“He has money. You have more integrity, courage, and loyalty then he could ever hope for. He wasn’t worthy of you, neither was Shield.”

“He’s going to win, Steve.”

“You don’t know that.” Steve said moving around the table and pulling Clint in against his chest in a tight hug.

“He’s got all the time and money in the world to throw at it. My face hits the media as Stark’s former submissive and my cover’s blown, I won’t be able to work undercover ever again.”

“You’d still have a spot at my side, no matter what jobs we wind up doing. Captain America isn’t exactly a low profile job.”

“And if he wins and I have to wear his collar?”

“I’ll break you out and we’ll move somewhere ridiculous, Brazil maybe, Bruce says it’s nice.”

“It’s humid, my socks turned green on that op.” Clint mumbled into Steve’s neck.

“Then pick somewhere you liked, we’ll go there.”

“Promise you won’t leave me?”

“Never, you’re mine, collar or not.”

***

Clint blinked awake with a stifled groan, his head was spinning and his entire body ached. He was sprawled in a corner, his hands bound and secured above his head somehow. The room looked empty but the last thing he remembered was tracking down a rumor with Steve about the Winter Soldier. If he was captured, where was Steve?

“Why are you with him?” a voice asked from the darkest corner.

“With who?” Clint asked, trying to get his head to clear.

“Captain Steven Rogers, why are you with him?”

“He’s my Dom.” Clint found slipping out his mouth, he cursed breathlessly as the man came forward drawing up something in a syringe.

“Submissives don’t go to war, they don’t have the training you have. Why are you with him?”

“We have a contract. I’m his, he’s mine.” Clint panted, “Don’t drug me. I don’t do good with drugs.”

“I need answers and you’re trained against interrogation.”

“Fuck.”

He had no idea how long he was drugged out of his mind before he finally started to come out of it. The soldier paced before him, the room around him and its meager contents destroyed.

“What’s wrong with you? Why won’t you answer my questions?”

“I’m a Sub, we don’t do drugs well.” Clint slurred, glancing around trying to get his bearings.

“Why is Rogers chasing me?”

“He’s your friend, wants to help you.”

“I don’t need his help!” Bucky screamed turning and starting to trash the few intact items in the room.

Clint shuddered fighting the instinct to drop for the raging dominant. He had to have been here a while, Steve would come get him eventually. He just had to wait out the tantrums and hope the soldier didn’t decide he was disposable.

“Steve hated submissives, hated how they caved to anyone who offered to dominate them.” Bucky said kicking a fragment of something to the other wall.

“He hates when people force me to kneel.” Clint said trying to get some moisture in his mouth, “I only kneel for him.”

“You’re mouthy for a Sub.” He said moving closer to examine the chained man.

“He says he likes me mouthy.” Clint said baring his teeth at the man in a feral smile, he’d seen that look on Natasha make men piss themselves but Bucky looked unimpressed.

“And the cuffs and collar are his?” He asked holding up a handful of leather bands, Clint froze as he watched the man approach the main source of light, a barrel of something burning to one side.

“Don’t,” Clint choked out hating that he’d even said that much.

“He’s not yours to have.” Bucky said dropping the leather and metal into the fire.

Clint whimpered, Bucky was still talking but he couldn’t hear him. He’d burned Phil’s collar, he’d burned the cuffs Steve bought him. He’d lost the only things holding him to his Doms.

He never noticed Steve breaking down the door and taking down Bucky with a tranquilizer gun. He never felt the strong hands lifting him and easing off his bindings. He never saw the stunned look on Bucky’s face as Steve gathered both of them up and took them to safety.

“Why aren’t you yelling?” Bucky asked once the catatonic submissive had been settled on the couch and Steve started gathering supplies to treat everyone’s injuries.

“You don’t yell around a submissive that’s close to a sub drop.” Steve bit out carefully, wiping an antiseptic wipe across the scraps on Bucky that he could reach, “Strip and shower, I have some clean clothes you can use after.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because you need a friend right now,”

“But I hurt you, I kidnapped your Sub.”

“We were both chasing you, he knew the risks.” Steve said flatly getting some water boiling on a tiny hotplate. “What do you remember?”

“You and me in New York. You got bigger and we were fighting together. Fighting and pain, lots of pain. They gave me orders and I followed.”

“You’re not following their orders now.”

“I remembered you.”

“And now?” Steve asked moving back to Clint and smoothing a hand along his broad shoulders.

“I didn’t know you had a Sub, you never wanted one that I could remember.”

“Clint’s different, he’s not like the fragile submissives we grew up with, Buck. He’s a fighter.”

“I hurt him.”

“Yes, you did.” Steve agreed with a sigh, “Normally he’s deadly when cornered, how did you capture him?”

“A drugged dart, he still shot me twice before it kicked in.” Bucky said a faint thread of admiration in his voice.

“And he went down afterwards?”

“I gave him more to try and get him to talk; it just seemed to make him sick.” Bucky said with a shrug.

“What did you do?” Steve pressed, “What changed?”

“I burned his cuffs and collar.” Buck said flinching at the look Steve shot him; he didn’t like the storm cloud angry look on Steve’s face. “He wasn’t answering me.”

“What were you asking?” Steve asked clearly controlling his breathing to try and rein in his temper as he carefully checked Clint’s neck for bruises.

“I needed to know why you were still chasing me, I still don’t understand that.” Bucky said glancing from Steve to Clint.

“I told you before; it’s you and me until the end of the line, Buck. I’m not giving up on you just when I finally found you again.”

“You don’t need me, you have him.” He said flatly, standing and starting to pace to one side.

“He’s my submissive, you’re my friend. There’s nothing stopping me from having both.” Steve snapped his voice low and firm.

“What are you going to do with him?”

“We’re staying here until he wakes up then we’re taking you with us back to Shield. They know how to make sure you’re completely deprogramed.”

“Shield was destroyed.”

“Not completely.” Steve said with a sigh remembering how Clint had cussed him out for risking himself when he finally got to him after the fall. “Some of the agents are still fighting, like Clint.”

It was hours of quiet conversation and questions before Clint finally started to come out of his drop. He whimpered crawling off the couch and into Steve’s lap.

“My collar.” Clint choked out.

“I know, I’m sorry, love. I’ll get you a new one once we get back to base.” Steve said soothingly.

“My fault.”

“No, never your fault,” Steve said rubbing circles in the sobbing submissive’s back, “You were a good soldier and did your job, nothing is your fault.”

“I want my hook.” Clint mumbled sometime later letting Steve help him back onto the ratty couch when he’d finally cried himself out.

“I don’t know what that is, Clint.”

“My hook,” Clint mumbled already mostly asleep, having exhausted himself.

Steve covered him up and let him sleep. He made a few calls and got transport from a deserted airbase back to New York the next morning. He made a massive pot of pasta and portioned it out leaving a small plate for Clint; all of them had eaten worse over the years. He was just handing bottled water to Bucky when Clint stirred.

“You finally up?”

“Yeah, do I need to shoot him again?” Clint asked scrubbing a hand through his hair while he eyed Bucky’s place to one side.

“Not right now,” Steve said retrieving the food and water, “I made pasta if you’re hungry.”

“Yeah, sounds good.” He said standing and taking the food before taking a seat on one end of the couch, leaving room for Steve, “I was dropped?”

“Yeah, how much do you remember?”

“I shot Bucky and he tranqed me with something, not much after that.”

“You were catatonic for a while when I got to you. I brought you back to the safe house with Bucky. We’ve been here about twenty four hours and have a flight back to New York in the morning.”

“Okay, what’d I do to freak you out? You’re looking at me weird.” Clint asked starting to eat the plain noodles with butter while keeping Bucky in the corner of his eye.

“You asked about your hook. Can I ask what you meant?” Steve asked helping Clint sit up against the arm of the couch.

“Yeah, haven’t done that in years.” Clint said scrubbing a hand over his face, “When the mercenaries had me drugged down, the only time they’d leave me alone to sleep was when I was kneeling against this wall with my hands above my head, the cuffs chained to a hook. It was the only time I was able to relax, able to breathe. I would wrap my hands around the hook and just hang on until they came back to get me.”

“Do I need to track them down?”

“Pretty sure Natasha and Phil did it years ago.”

“Good.”


	7. Chapter 7

They were back in New York and Clint wasn’t sure how he felt about it. Steve spent most of his time on base with Bucky helping him work through removing the final triggers and regain his memories. Clint went with him a few times but mostly stayed away, Shield no longer felt like home. Mostly he trained and helped out where he could, many of the neighborhoods were still rebuilding even almost two years after the attack.

Natasha was busy with court in DC and they rarely saw each other. Clint was waiting a summons to appear, it would be his luck if Stark really was that much of an ass and refused to settle things before they hit the papers.He knew Natasha would arrange a quick getaway if he needed it but he wasn’t sure even she could hide him from Stark. If he wasn’t with Steve he might have even considered it.

He was at the pro line archery lanes in Central Park when they finally tracked him down. He’d paid for the lane for the entire day and the owner said he was nuts but gave him the lane. He’d watched in shock as Clint decimated the first target with precision before starting to work on his speed drills, warming up.People came and left but a small knot of spectators had gathered to one side, several professional archers themselves from the way they were analyzing his form and the shots.

“Submissive Clinton Francis Barton?” A man in a cheap suit asked wandering down the lane while Clint was collecting arrows.

“Agent Clint Barton;” He corrected eying the man from behind his sunglasses, lawyer, he thought.

“You’ve hereby been summoned to present yourself in court in three days’ time. Consider yourself served.” He said looking over the sweat soaked shirt and tattered jeans Clint was wearing with a grimace and handing over the summons.

Clint cursed under his breath and started packing up. He ignored the polite conversation the owner tried to strike up and stripped out of his shirt, pulling on a clean black one with the Shield logo on the back. The murmur of the on lookers went silent at his exposed scars.

“Is it true you’re a Sub?” the owner asked glancing at the lawyer’s car that was just pulling away.

“Does it matter?” Clint asked returning the bow and quiver and digging out his phone.

He walked away before the man had time to respond, dialing Natasha’s number. He waited through the rings skimming over the paperwork he’d been given. The watchers parted to let him pass only a few giving aborted greetings or comments on his archery that he ignored.

“Romanov.”

“I need a flight to DC, Nat. I just got a summons.”

“Shit, it wasn’t from our lawyer.” She said the rustling of papers and sharp hit of keys filtered across the phone, “It must have been Stark; I’ll arrange it, head to base.”

“Thanks, I’ve got to call Steve; I’ll see you when I get there.”

“Be safe, idiot.”

“You too.” He said hanging up with a sigh and mounting the bike he’d borrowed, dialing as he started the engine.

“Hey, Clint;” Steve said with affection, happy to hear from him.

“I just got a summons to court.” Clint said not wanting to drag it out, “Natasha’s arranging a flight out from base once I get there. Can you pack me a bag? I’ll have to pick up a suit once I get there.”

“I’ll make sure you have everything.” Steve said, his voice going firm with an echo of the command tone he used while in battle.

“Will you come?” Clint asked hesitating, “I know you’re busy with Bucky.”

“You couldn’t stop me. Bucky’s doing fine; he can do without me for a while.” Steve said, his voice going hard, “I told you, no one’s taking you from me without a fight.”

The flight in was silent, Steve seemed determined to fuss over Clint and for once he allowed it. If he lost Steve it would be like losing Phil all over again. He could survive being forced to Sub for Stark, he’d survived worse but he wasn’t sure he’d survive losing Steve.

He stayed silent as the plane touched down and Natasha met them on the tarmac pulling him into a quick five second hug, which was clinging for her. Steve and Natasha hashed out details while he watched the city pass them out the window, legally a submissive belonged to his dominant, and he would have very little say in the final decisions. He ignored the concerned looks they shot him when he crawled straight into bed once they arrived at her apartment.

“I need a suit.” Clint muttered once they were getting breakfast the next morning plucking at his tee shirt.

“I’ve got an appointment for you set up to have one fitted.” Natasha said stealing his coffee as she walked past. “You as well, Steve.”

“Thanks.” Steve said with a nod setting a bowl of oatmeal in front of Clint and laughing softly at the face he made. Clint had eaten oatmeal for most of his childhood and could still force it down but he’d never enjoy it.

He let Steve bully him into the shower afterwards pretending to be annoyed at the fussing Dom. They cleaned each other exchanging slow kisses and lingering touches. If Steve happened to pin him to the tile and jerk them both off in the process, well, it wasn’t a bad thing.

The suit fitting was mostly painless and they cought a quick lunch while waiting on Natasha to join them. She’d run to her office to deal with a few last minute details, it looked like Stark was calling Clint to the stand to question him so their lawyer would need to be prepared to do the same. They had to be prepared for anything and over dinner at the apartment she quizzed him on the questions he might be asked.

Stepping into the court he hid his nerves behind a mask and forced a polite hello past his lips to Pepper who looked shocked to see him. He sat in the mostly empty court room trying to brace himself, Steve’s collar sat clearly framed against his pale skin and white shirt. The court had been emptied and the reporters banned on the first day before the demands were even laid out leaving the room deserted except for the judge, lawyers, and parties involved. A handful of viewers sat in the back rows and Clint noted the intern Darcy, from the mission in New Mexico, sitting with another young woman who watching him enter with a surprised look.

Steve was called forward first to agree that he was allowing his current submissive to speak. Clint could see how much the formality grated against the man and loved him a bit more for it. Steve was so earnest in his support of equal submissive rights.

The court went through a review of the preliminaries that Clint tried to pay attention to but Tony chose to arrive late not long after. Clint tried not to look but he found himself keeping him in the edge of his vision, hating the bright smile Tony flashed his and Pepper’s way.He only managed to drag his eyes away as he was called to the stand.

“Please explain to the court, Submissive Barton, how you came to be contracted to Dominant Stark.”

“My dominant, Phil Coulson, an agent of Shield, died in the battle of New York. After the battle I was remanded to the care of my emergency dominant, Nick Fury. Nick offered my contract to Miss Potts and Mister Stark when it became clear he wouldn’t be able to provide for my care.”

“You willingly signed a contract with Dominant Stark?”

“Yes.” Clint said wincing internally when Stark’s lawyer flushed at the lack of rank but he’d never called anyone but his dominants Sir, Fury had lost that title when he handed Clint over to Stark.

“No further questions.” He said with a scowl. Pepper’s lawyer stepped forward and gave him a polite smile.

“How do you like your current Dominant, Captain Steven Rogers, Submissive Barton?” She asked.

“I enjoy being Steve’s submissive, he’s a good dominant and we work well together.” Clint said not sure where she’s going with the casual questioning.

“Captain Rogers removed you from Dominant Stark’s care correct?”

“Yes.”

“What condition would you say you were in at the time?”

“I didn’t come up from the drugs he’d given me for almost another week so I can’t say precisely what condition I was in. Captain Rogers took me to a physician who said I was under weight, malnourished, and suffering from lack of exercise. As you can see, I’ve recovered while under Captain Rogers’ care.” He said giving the room a quick smile.

She produced a photo from his Shield file, “Would you agree this is you?”

“Yes, that was taken a few months before the battle of New York, I believe.”

“Thank you, Submissive Barton.” She said with a shark’s grin, “Judge Harris I would like to submit into evidence several statements, reports, and photos from Dr. Renee Brown, a former employee of Stark Industries. She treated Submissive Barton several times while he was under Dominant Stark’s care.”

“Is Dr. Brown willing to testify about these statements?” the judge asked paging through the paperwork and glancing between Clint, the medical photos, and the one from his Shield file for a long moment.

“She is, your Honor.”

“Have her summoned to testify tomorrow. Are there any further questions for Submissive Barton?”

“No, your Honor.” She said retaking her seat.

“I have a few questions of my own, if you don’t mind, Submissive Barton.” The judge said.

“Of course, your Honor.” Clint said shifting so he could see the judge on his pedestal.

“Would you consider the care you received while under Dominant Stark abusive?”

“The care I received from Miss Potts was that of a good and caring dominant.” Clint said, not wanting to stain Pepper with any false accusations, “Dominant Stark however was abusive both in his punishments, lack of care, and use of drugs to force me into sub space after Miss Potts left the tower.”

“How long would you say you were drugged while under Dominant Stark’s care?”

“Roughly eight months.”

“Have you seen these reports and statements, Submissive Barton?” The judge asked gesturing to the paperwork before him.

“I’ve seen the medical reports, your Honor.” Clint said with a nod.

“Would you say your care under Dr. Brown was appropriate?”

“Yes, your Honor.”

“I have no further questions, Submissive Barton. You may retake your seat.” The judge said waving him down.

“Thank you, your Honor.” Clint murmured quickly standing and retreating to his chair in the front row.

“We will reconvene tomorrow morning, dismissed.”

***

Two days later Clint was called back to court and he fought off a flinch as soon as he saw the judge’s face. He’d gone from pitying and angry to blind fury. Something had changed and the judge was not happy about it at all.

Court was adjourned that day with Stark smirking at him as he left the room, much too happy for the hostile atmosphere of the court room. Clint kept it together until they were back in the hotel room before falling apart in the shower. Stark was going to win, he was going to lose Steve.

That night he clutched at Steve writhing as the Dom marked his chest with several love bites, reinforcing his claim. He forced himself to stay out of subspace wanting to remember every touch and brush of skin on skin, trying to burn the smell of his Dom into his brain. When they finally wound down and were curled together in bed he couldn’t relax his hold, burying his face into a broad shoulder.

“It’ll be fine, Clint, I promise. I’m not going to lose you.” Steve murmured pressing a kiss to his hair.

“Yeah.” Clint said, voice rough as he clutched at the other man all the harder.

The next morning he dress carefully but left his cuffs and collar in the bathroom, he didn’t want them destroyed yet again. They’d managed to find the bead from Phil’s collar and it rested next to Steve’s on his new one. Steve could keep them safe for him.

Natasha watched him as they entered and they shared a tiny bitter smile as he went to his seat next to Steve. She took Steve’s other side so he knew she understood, she was the only one with a chance of keeping the super soldier calm while Clint walked away. Steve wore his stubborn look that Clint was becoming so fond of, he’d fight for Clint no matter what the decision was simply because he believed that any submissive deserved the right to choose their own partner, whether it was a dominant or not.

“Thank you for coming today.” The judge said taking his place at the podium, “Counsel please stand, will the disputed submissive, Mister Barton, please come forward as well.”

Clint couldn’t let himself look at Steve as he stood and made his way forward. He stood a bit to the side next to a set of guards, he knew they were there to ensure he went with Stark without a fight. He’d already made his decision, he just couldn’t smother the tiny flicker of hope that he’d stay with Steve. He was used to not getting what he wanted, but he couldn’t stop rubbing his thumb across one bare wrist as he clasped his hands behind his back.

“After reviewing the extensive testimony and documentation presented I’m forced to fall back on the current submissive laws for both the United States and the state of New York for my ruling. Mister Stark has agreed to settle all monetary gifts and work done as CEO of Stark Industries by Dominant Pepper Potts for the sum of one million dollar. As for the issue of the contracted submissive, I hereby remand the submissive, Clinton Francis Barton, to the custody of his Dominant, Anthony Edward Stark. Court adjourned.”

The small crowd was in an uproar as Clint offered his wrists to the approaching guards with a knowing look. They cuffed him quickly and he was shown out a back door, the shouts from Steve and the rest of the crowd still ringing in his ears. He was rushed through the back hallways and out a side door, into a waiting limo.

“I was kind of hoping I wouldn’t have the pleasure of driving you around again.” Happy said with a sad smile as he pulled away.

“Yeah, me too.” Clint said glancing at the cuffs around his wrists, not police standard. “We’re going back to the tower?”

“Yeah, the security’s been upgraded since you left.”

“I figured as much.” He said with a shrug glancing out the window.

“Stark’s been renovating the floor below his since the trial started. He won’t let anyone up there, has it on complete lock down.”

Clint nodded and let the words wash over him. Happy kept listing out the changes, probably hoping to give Clint some small leg up when he did try to escape and he loved him for the effort even if he’d probably not be getting out anywhere as easily this time. Stark was anything if not resourceful, he’d learn from the last escape and it would probably take a miracle and a ton of dumb luck to get out without injury.

A guard pulled him from the car when they arrived and escorted him to the elevator and up to his old floor. He was ordered to strip and his clothes were taken away leaving him in only a pair of thin scrub pants. An hour later Stark came in, carry a metal case grinning at the blank mask Clint presented him.

“I have a present for you, Barton. I designed a new collar for you, it should revolutionize the submissive market once we finish testing.” Stark said opening the case and pulling out a thin metal collar, it went on and sat snug against Clint’s skin, the cool metal quickly heating to skin temperature.

“It’s completely voice activated and will monitor all vitals and such.” He said adding two thicker metal wrist cuffs as well.

“Was there anything else you needed, sir?” the guard asked shifting as Stark started peeling out of his suit.

“No, thank you.” Stark said waving him away. “The cuffs are the best part, they work as both restraints and gravity inducers, forcing the submissive prone in any attempt at escape.”

Clint couldn’t suppress the grunt of pain as he hit the floor hard, knees and forearms taking the brunt of the impact. He fought against the pull of the collar but it forced him steadily closer to the floor until he was sprawled out and vulnerable. He watched the last pieces of Stark’s suit be carefully set to the side before he made a careful circuit around the downed submissive.

“You cost me quite a lot, submissive. I don’t like it when people mess with my things and you were stolen from me. That’s not acceptable.” He said stroking a hand along Clint’s hip. Clint kicked out but Stark dodged easily laughing softly as he showed him a control bracelet he wore.

“The best part about the collar is it also administers any medications or injection you need.” He said pressing a button, Clint twitching as a needle pricked the back of his neck, “My research team tore apart Fury’s Drop research and came up with a better compound. Less memory loss, more complex thought and behavior, but the submissive stays in subspace and answers only to their acknowledged Dom, the one present when they’re first dosed. Brilliant, if I do say so.”

Clint lost track of things slightly as the drug hit his system. He muzzily watched Stark pull him up and order him to strip and get in bed. He complied without thought letting his wrists be attached to the headboard without complaint.

“Who is your dominant?” Stark demanded tipping Clint’s head up to catch his eyes.

“You, sir.” Clint slurred shivering slightly as he was released.

He knew that was wrong, this wasn’t his Dom but he couldn’t stop himself from wanting to please the dominant before him. Time ceased to matter as he tried to please his dominant, nothing else seemed to matter.


	8. Chapter 8

Slowly Clint realized he was able to think of other things besides pleasing his dominant.It was harder than it should have been to start eating more and trying to exercise while Stark was off the floor. He still spent most of his time asleep or catering to his Dom but Stark was busy and forgot him for days at a time.

The drugs still pressed him to serve his Dom and he was still down, just not as deep. Complex tasks were the hardest. He could force himself to exercise and eat because his Dom would want him to be healthy and look good. His Dom wouldn’t want him searching for ways to escape however unless there was a way to flip it so the searches seemed valid.

He thought and watched as the days passed. Stark upgraded his collar a few times, using the cuffs to lock him in bed until it was replaced. Mostly he was just a convenient submissive for Stark, someone to order around and fuck when he felt like it.

He was able to get Jarvis to display the news if Stark was being discussed, which was often, letting him catch snippets of other news items. The avengers were called out to a battle about once a month or so as more and more aliens turned their attention toward earth. Clint was able to watch the news coverage and check on the others but it had been months with no sign of rescue and he was starting to lose hope that they were coming to get him.

The floor had nothing in the way of furnishings beyond the bed and couch. He was expected to be naked and prepped when Stark headed his way. Jarvis took to warning him when he entered the elevator after Clint was taken without any prep since he hadn’t had time to do it himself.He started wearing a plug during the days that Stark was in the tower since he’d often head to Clint’s floor with no warning.

He’d been ordered to be silent by his Dom so he couldn’t voice his questions or needs at all. He suffered through his punishments and wrote out notes to Jarvis to request supplies.He never left the floor and Stark never seemed to be inclined to stay no matter how attentive he was. He spent most of his time naked, he only had a few pair of scrub pants to wear and as they were damaged they weren’t being replaced.

The plan he finally came up with wasn’t exactly foolproof or even elegant. It counted on Jarvis working to help him and he wasn’t sure the AI hadn’t been reprogramed to prevent exactly what he wanted to do. He collected what items he could, hiding them away and hoping his stash wouldn’t be found before he was ready.

“Jarvis?” He forced out trying to keep focused on the fact that he’d be helping Stark by doing this.

“How can I help you, submissive?” Jarvis asked, his tone surprised.

“Fire alarm? Release?” He asked hopefully, shifting as far as he could in his restraints. Stark had removed his collar again for another upgrade that morning and he didn’t want to have to wait for another upgrade to escape.

He couldn’t help but grin as the locks on his cuffs released, letting him grab the hidden clothes and quickly dress. The suit was ill fitting but it was still a suit so he wouldn’t look strange leaving the building with the other workers. The fire alarm started blaring and he quickly made his way to the stairway that popped open as he approached.

Two hours later he’d found an old stash of gear on the edge of Manhattan and changed. He pulled a leather jacket over everything and made his slow way to the train yards. By the next morning he was out of the state and on his way north.

***

“Where is he?!” Stark demanded storming into the conference room where Steve and Natasha were outlining a new mission with Sitwell.

“Where’s who?” Steve asked glancing up from his notebook.

“You can’t just barge in here, Stark!” Sitwell snapped killing the projector and quickly gathering up the sensitive files scattered across the table.

“I know you took him, Rogers. Where is he?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Stark. We haven’t taken anything from you.” Steve said eying the red faced man with concern.

“Wait, he finally got out, didn’t he?” Natasha asked with a wicked grin. “You lost Clint.”

“No, you took him!” He snarled, “You never wanted me to have him in the first place.”

“You don’t deserve him, Stark.” Steve snapped standing and shoving away from the table, “If he got away then there is no way in hell I’m going to help you find him. Go back and see if your lawyers will pay off another judge.”

“You seriously don’t have him.” Stark said glancing at the others in the room in surprise.

“Shield is not in the business of finding lost people, Stark. I suggest you take your complaint to the police.” Sitwell said packing up the last of the files.

“Seriously, you don’t want to find him?” he asked rounding on Steve as he approached the door.

“Anywhere he might be that’s away from you is a step up, Stark.” Steve snapped pushing out of the room, “I’m done discussing this.”

“You’re seriously not going to help me track him down?” Stark asked turning to confront Natasha.

“Why? So you can drug him and turn one of the best agents I’ve ever worked with into your personal plaything?” Natasha asked leaving the room.

“Sitwell,” Stark sputtered, face going darker.

“Shield won’t be assisting you, Mister Stark.” Fury said coming in and gesturing Sitwell out.

“You can’t be serious; you’re the one who gave him to me in the first place.” Stark said throwing up his hands in exasperation.

“And I’ve never regretted a decision more.” Fury snapped crowding into Stark’s space, “You will never lay a finger on him ever again if I have any say in the matter. You took one of the best operatives I’ve ever worked with and destroyed him.”

“He’s fine, healthy even.”

“Good. Consider this an official notice of Shield severing all ties with Stark Industries. You’re welcome to continue working with us on a contract basis but I’m black listing you from the good books. You will never be in a position of power over any of my agents ever again.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“You took one of the best men I had and crippled him for undercover work, Stark. You might as well have put a bullet in his head. It’s going to years for him to get over his time under your ‘care’.”

“I took care of him fine.” Stark snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Really? Have you even looked at the medical reports? Let me show you.” He said with a snort, pulling up and projecting Clint’s file. “Here he is a few months before Loki; this is him after almost a year in your care. The medical professional who examined him said he was only a few days away from organ failure due to severe and prolonged malnutrition and starvation.”

“He was fine, I was just busy.” Stark said avoiding looking at the projected images.

“No you were drunk.” Fury snarled, “Get off my base. If I catch you on any Shield base or in our air space without prior approval you will be shot down with prejudice.”

“Don’t expect a note if I find him first.” Stark spat, slamming the door behind him as he left.

“Jarvis?” Nick asked rubbing a hand along his forehead, Stark seemed to cause all his migraines lately.

“How can I help you, Director Fury?”

“Consider this your warning to get out of my systems. The entire database is going to be scrubbed and rebuilt over the next few weeks. If we catch you in our systems after that I’ll take the cyber-attack straight to Stark’s core systems.”

“I understand, thank you for the warning.” Jarvis said, “If it helps I have hindered the search for the submissive in what ways I can.”

“I have no issue with you, Jarvis, just your blind ass owner.” Nick said with a sigh, “I know you’re just doing what he asks you to or trying to keep him from destroying himself but I’m starting to regret the help I’ve given him over the years.”

***

“You know we can’t try and track him down while Stark is still looking for him.” Natasha said watching as Steve finished taping his hands and pulled off his shirt and the tee-shirt under it.

“I know, that doesn’t mean I can’t still want to kill Stark for causing this entire mess.” He said starting to punch the bag before him, working himself into a steady rhythm.

“We’ll get him back, Steve.” She said quietly when the bag finally gave way under his assault forcing him to stop.

“When?” he asked, stopping the swinging bag and turning to face her with a sigh, “I don’t think I can deal with losing him a second time, Nat.”

“Clint’s one of the best agents we have. He’ll get a message out once he knows he’s safe.”

“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t need our help.”

“The most help we can be right now is keeping our distance. If we start searching we could lead Stark right to him.” She said.

“I know. I just hate not being able to do anything.” Steve said unhooking the bag and dragging it to one side, “I’m his chosen dominate, I should be taking care of him.”

“You really do love him, don’t you?” she asked with a wistful look.

“He’s everything I ever wanted in a submissive and partner. I don’t understand how anyone could think he deserves to be a pet. He’s built to be a fighter, his entire life has molded him to be the only submissive I’ve even met that can stand by my side and hold his own.”

“He’s only ever been able to kneel to you and Phil, everyone else tried too hard to force him into the normal submissive mold.”

“I don’t need someone clinging to me, Nat. We’re both too busy for that.” Steve said with a snort, “The army kept trying to pair me with these naive submissives that did nothing but complain about the camps and the food. They didn’t have a thought in their head if you tried to talk to them. If you put Clint there with me he’d have been on the front lines watching my back and in my tent at night telling me about the different kinds of rifles and picking apart our battle plans. I can’t want more than that.”

“Good, because if you hurt him I’d have to kill you, and I like you too much to make it hurt.” She said with a feral smile.

“I’d kill me first, Nat.”

“Come on, let’s spar for a while. We both could use the exercise.”

“Yeah, alright.” He said with a sigh, grabbing up his tee shirt.

“Leave it off;” She said with a smirk, “I might as well get a chance to ogle that body before Clint claims you.”

“Claims me?” Steve asked coming to a stop next to the boxing ring.

“You aren’t the only one who likes to stake a claim on their partner.” She said with a wicked grin as the super soldier blushed, turned on by the idea of his submissive marking him in return.

***

Clint had been on the run before; he knew you couldn’t keep it up indefinitely. Eventually you got run down and burnt out from being on constant alert and made a mistake. He couldn’t afford that so he had to be one step ahead of even the best hunters, which meant thinking outside the box, something he was normally amazing at.

It took almost two weeks for the last of the drugs to get out of his system while he waited for his message to be received. Stark had finally went to the authorities and Clint’s face was on every channel as a wanted Submissive running from his legal dominant. He absently hoped Doris and the others in Montana weren’t too disappointed in him since several of the shows dragged out his military and juvie record along with his years as a “Government Agent” under his previous dominant. It quickly came out that the name on his last contract was Steven Rogers and Captain America was outed as his contracted Dom, making the media storm ten times worse.

He was hovering on the edge of a bad drop when the call finally came. He gazed at the ringing burner phone for a long moment before he was able to force himself to pick it up and answer.

“I understand you’ve been attempting to contact me, Agent Barton.” The voice said, cultured accent not hiding the slight amusement at a Shield agent contacting an outside party.

“Yeah,” Clint managed forcing himself to sit up and pay attention, he needed this.

“You’re in rather rough shape, how can I assist you?”

“My message had the details. Are you willing to take me in for a while?” Clint asked not wanting to give too many details over an unsecured phone line.

“We are, however I’m concerned that you might not make the meeting with the condition you’re in.”

“No, I can make it; your people are at the airport?” He asked forcing himself to start compartmentalizing, stuffing the exhaustion into the back of his head where he would deal with it later.

“You are rather scarily good at that, Agent Barton. I’ll inform my team you’re on the way.”

“I’ll be there in one hour, thanks.” Clint said hanging up.

He blew out a breath and forced the sub drop symptoms back. He could be the emotionless killer for a few hours if it got him somewhere safe, he could fall apart later. He packed up quickly, wiping down the tiny safe house and headed out. He ditched the car he’d stolen in town and caught a bus to the airport, the stealth jet waiting for him at the back of the hangers made him snort. They weren’t exactly going out of their way to disguise themselves.

“Good to see you’re still kicking, Barton.” Logan said with a grin stubbing out his cigar.

“Thanks for the ride.” Clint said giving the rest of the group a nod and heading up the gangway.

“Give the guy some space,” Logan said softly to the others, watching the way Clint was moving, “He’s not in a good headspace to be touched or startled right now unless you have a death wish.”

“Surely you’re joking?” Scott asked with a frown as he headed to the cockpit.

“He’s not far off.” Clint grunted giving the sunglass wearing pilot a look, noting tells, possible weapons, and training automatically. He could probably take him out before his mutant ability came into play but it would take speed he probably didn’t have right now with how worn out he was feeling.

“We’ll give you your space, Agent Barton.”Ororo said taking her seat across from him next to Logan, “Do we need to make the children aware when we arrive?”

“No, I need to get to medical once we land. I’m pretty much guaranteed to go into a drop once I relax. With my luck it’s going to be a bad one.” He said with a tired smile, eyes mapping the exits and sight lines again as he forced himself to start going through a series of hand exercises to keep his attention focused.

“I’ll radio in and make sure Dr. McCoy is ready for you.” She said moving to the copilot seat and pulling on a headset.

“Figured it had to be bad if you were asking to stay at the manor,” Logan said with a huff, “You need me to Dom for you?”

“Depends how long I’m staying but I might. Whatever drug they put me on seems to make my subspace and drops last longer.”

“We’ll figure out a few basic rules once Hank’s looked you over then.” Logan said with a nod, letting the rest of the issue go for now.

Clint watched him relax with a small bit of envy, it was one of the reason’s he enjoyed working with the mutant. He was perfectly willing to shelve an issue or wait on information if he needed to without it affecting his attitude or his performance during the mission. Clint was more of a long view person and liked to have as much detail as possible to see the entire picture, being out of the loop like that would have just made him more determined to get the information from someone else.

The fact that he’d overlooked Stark’s old fashioned views on submissives still rankled. It was probably why Stark mostly dated other dominants, submissives were nothing more than furniture in his world view. Natasha’s profile had noted that he was dismissive of submissive attentions but given his tendency to buck normal lines in society, they’d figured it was just another part of his playing up defying gender stereotypes.

Clint kept himself focused and in mission mode for the rest of the flight.He knew he was stalking along behind Logan like he was prowling a guard line but he couldn’t make his body relax out of the automatic balanced stride of a fighter.The unfamiliar corridors and the way the others tended to crowd his space really didn’t help.

“Get the next one.” Logan snapped at Scott, letting the door close in his face once Clint and he were in the elevator.

“Thanks.” Clint mumbled leaning into the closest corner.

“No problem, Summers’ isn’t exactly the sharpest tool in the shed at times.” Logan muttered with a snort chewing on his cigar.

“Does that cut the smell?” Clint asked absently as he tried to shore up his crumbling mental walls.

“What?” Logan asked cutting a glance down at the shorter man.

“The cigar?” Clint asked shivering slightly under the piercing gaze of the mutant dominant. “I always figured it was to block out some of the smells around you.”

“It does help at times.” Logan said gruffly showing him into the medical ward. “Summers just always smells a bit smug, makes me ache to punch something.”

“Ah, Agent Barton,” Hank said with a polite smile gesturing him to a nearby bed, “Professor Xavier warned me that you’re close to a submissive drop?”

“Yeah, probably a bad one,” Clint agreed tugging off his boots and jacket and setting them to one side. “I was drugged down for several months. It was a new compound of Drop so I’m not sure if the reaction to coming off it cold turkey is normal or not.”

“Who gave you the drug if I may ask?” He asked falling silent as Clint easily stripped down to his boxers and handed Logan his weapons harness but Hank’s gaze was on the sharp points of his hips and ribs.

“Tony Stark. He drugged me down for about eight months last year. I got out and was recovering when he took legal action to get me back. I got out two weeks ago; he had me drugged about four months this time.”

“And you think he used different compounds this time?” Hank asked.

“He bragged about it.” Clint said with a grunt pulling his body up onto the high bed.

“What’s your normal response in a bad drop?” Hank asked readying an IV and professionally sliding the needle in with one a slight twinge of pain.

“Catatonia, I can be given actions to complete but need prompting and I’m generally mute.”

“And in a mild one?”

“In a mild drop I can talk and get basic things done with a bit of prompting but in a bad drop, I just shut down.” Clint said with a shrug as he was stickered with wireless monitoring sensors, it reminded him a bit too much of the ones Jarvis had used but he tried to cut off that thought before it could go anywhere.

“Do we need to make a visit to Stark?” Logan growled making Clint give him bitter smile.

“Natasha already requested a formal hit,” Clint said with a laugh, “The Director refused, Stark’s too public.”

“He won’t be getting you back from us, we generally don’t play in the same sandbox as Shield.”

“I’m legally his property, Logan.” Clint said rubbing his free hand over his face, “There’s not much anybody can do if he shows up at the front door and demands me back.”

“He’s not getting in here without a legal warrant to search for you.” Hank said helping Clint lay back and tucking the covers around him, “This is still private property and he has no reason to be visiting anyone at the school.”

“I just need to get over the drugs, I can leave after that.” Clint muttered letting himself slowly relax into the surprisingly comfortable mattress under him.

“The medical floor is part of the bedrock under the manor. The security is tight, so unless he can fake a retinal scan, voice authorization, and a finger stick DNA test he’s not getting anywhere close to you. Rest, I’m sure Logan won’t mind keeping watch until you’re back up.”

“You got it, Bub. I’m not going anywhere until you’re ready.” Logan agreed settling on a nearby bed.

“Yeah, okay.”

Clint relaxed back into the bed and let his eyes close. It didn’t take much for his mental walls to crumble and the drop to take over. He faintly heard Hank curse as his brain patterns flat lined but he was too far down to react to it, he’d deal with it later when he came back up.


	9. Chapter 9

Clint woke with a muffled groan, curling in on himself ignoring the conversation going on to one side. His head was going to fall off, it was the worst hang over he’d ever had. He blinked dazedly in the dim light noting that Logan was smoking while he listened to the girl next to him.

“Not supposed to smoke in medical.” He muttered pulling himself up with a grunt waiting for his head to stop spinning before he moved any further.

“That’s what I’ve been telling him.” The teenager said with a triumphant smirk.

“How you feeling, Barton?” Logan asked looking the submissive over with a sharp glance.

“Hung over, how long was I down?”

“About two days, hungry?” Hank said coming in and starting to check over Clint.

“I could eat something small. My head is killing me.” Clint said with a shrug, his head starting to clear but the headache remained.

“Chicken noodle it is, if you can keep that down I’ll let Logan and Rogue show you around the manor for a bit. The pills are for the headache.”

“Sounds good.” Clint said with a nod taking the pills he was handed with the offered water, “Thanks.”

“Professor X sent word to Romanov so they know you’re safe.” Logan added stubbing out his cigar with a sigh after Hank glared at him.

“Good, I was planning to take out an ad but that’s definitely faster.”

“Ad?” Rogue asked glancing between them.

“We’ve used the classifieds to contact each other before. Since I’m out Natasha would be looking for one.” He said with a shrug. “Low tech works well when you’re trying to stay below the radar of someone like Stark.”

After a bowl of soup the others left to let him get dressed. He pulled a pair of jeans, sweater, and boots on before heading out to meet them next to the elevator. He was given the ten cent tour on the way to Logan’s rooms before Rogue left them.

“We need to sort out a contract if I’m going to wind up Doming you.” Logan pointed out handing him some extra sweats with the school’s logo on the front.

“No penetrative sex and no strangers around while I’m down, with everything that’s happened I tend to lash out if I don’t know the person.”

“That’s still pretty open, you sure you don’t want something more formal?”

“No, my chosen dominant’s Steve. I’m not taking another contract since I’m still contracted to him even if it’s not technically legal right now.”

“Fair enough.” Logan said with a sigh, “Just let me know if I overstep anything. It’s been a while since I had a submissive to care for.”

“You seemed to be doing okay with Rogue.”

“She’s a baby.” Logan said with a snort, “She’s a good kid but she has some growing to do before I’d ever touch her.”

“So you and Steve Rogers, I have to admit, I never saw that coming.” Logan said after a long pause.

“Me either.” Clint said with a snort, “He’s the best Dom I’ve ever had.”

“Good, I’m glad you found someone to keep up with your ass.”

“Hell, I’ve been running after him the entire time I’ve known him so far. The guys needs someone at his back with the stupid shit he does. Did you hear we brought in the Winter Soldier?”

“Seriously? That guy’s no push over.”

“Turns out he’s Steve best friend from before the ice, Bucky Barnes. Shield’s helping him get his memories back.”

“Shit.” Logan muttered as Clint came out of the bathroom and flopped onto the bed next to where he was propped against the headboard chewing his cigar.

“Yeah, my life is so frigging weird at times.” Clint said with a snort, “Not that yours is much better.”

“Yeah, Aliens, magic, mutants, shape shifters taking over the Whitehouse, and time travel.” Logan said tugging the other man against him, “We live in crazy times. Get some sleep, short stack. Tomorrow I’ll let you have a go at the danger room if you’re good.”

“Promises, promises.”

“God, you’re such a mouthy sub.”

“Yeah, Steve likes me that way.”

“Figures.” Logan said with a snort, “He’s only been out of the ice, what three years and you’ve already corrupted a national icon.”

“Trust me, he was like that in the 40s.” Clint muttered with a smirk.

“Go to sleep, bub. You can tell me how you corrupted your Dom later.”

“Pushy Dom.”

“Disobedient Sub.”

***

“I’m tired of being down.” Clint slurred, blinking up at Logan from where he was pressed against his waist.

“Good, we were starting to think you liked it.” Logan said with a snort, the soft caress down the back of his head and neck belaying the sting to the words.

“Can I get up?”

“When you’re sure you’re not going to do another header down the stairs.”

“Didn’t fall,” Clint muttered trying to decide if his head would stay attached if he moved, everything still felt disconnected and at a distance.

“Only because I caught your ass,” Logan grumbled as the submissive slowly pushed up to sit on the edge of the bed, “Are you still hungry?”

“No.” Clint said swallowing as he waited for the dizziness to pass, “Might need the bathroom?”

“You need to eat more,” Logan said helping the smaller man up and to the bathroom, “Your Dom is going to think we didn’t take care of you if you don’t start getting some meat on your bones.”

“He helped with the drugs last time, he’ll understand.” Clint said washing his hands and staggering back to bed.

“Hank said you might be up.” Rogue said glancing through the open doorway, “Do you need two anything?”

“Keep an eye on this jerk while I scrounge up some food.” Logan said gesturing for her to come in as he passed.

“I’m not a jerk,” Clint muttered curling around a pillow with a sigh, “I’m a brat, Steve said so.”

“He would know.” Logan said with a snort, heading out the door towards the kitchens.

“Are you feeling okay?” Rogue asked, taking a seat at the foot of the bed, “You look kind of pale.”

“Just tired, dropping wears me out.”

“Hey, pipsqueak, someone’s here to see you.” Logan said ducking back through the door.

“Stop calling me that or I’m going to kick your mutant ass.” Clint muttered dragging himself to sit on the edge of the bed, “Who’s here?”

“Come downstairs and see.” Logan said with a snort, turning and heading towards the front of the mansion.

“Fuck.” Clint muttered, pulling on his shirt with a groan and taking his shoes when Rogue offered them with a grin.

“You expecting anyone?” she asked offering a gloved hand to pull the other submissive upright.

“Not really, Natasha might have come to check up on me but they were supposed to keep their distance so Stark won’t find me.”

“You think he’d really try to get you back?”

“He spent hundreds of thousands to legally force me back, I doubt me staying with the X-men is going to stop him if he hears I’m here.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah,” said with a sigh eyeing the few weapons he’d brought with him, he tucked a few blades away to be safe but left his guns locked away. “Let’s go see who it is. If Logan’s playing cryptic it’s not Stark at least.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t do subtle very well.” She said with a laugh trailing along behind him as they made their way to the front entrance.

Most of the X-men were gathered waiting for him while Logan talked to someone who was facing away. Clint didn’t bother to speak, breaking into a run as soon as the silhouette registered. Steve grabbed him with a laugh only his super strength keeping him on his feet.

“I take it you missed me.”

“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be keeping your distance. What about Stark?” Clint demanded forcing himself to push the man away so he could see his reactions but keeping one hand twisted in his jacket.

“Fury found a loophole none of us were aware of. Coulson didn’t just leave you to Director Fury, you were also willed to me if Fury wasn’t able to take care of you. It means I have a prior legal claim, Stark can’t take you back.”

“We’re still going to have to go back to court; it was all over the news.”

“We forced Stark to settle out of court. Fury said he would blacklist all Stark Technology from Shield and cancel all the government contracts, it would have bankrupt Stark Industries.”

“So, I’m really yours, I don’t have to go back?”

“I told you before;” Steve said tugging him back into a hug, “I’m not letting you go anytime soon. Not unless you want me to.”

“Well, that’s enough sugar for me. Glad to hear your Dom is back, short stack.” Logan said heading out the front door.

“Thanks for taking care of him.” Steve said stopping the mutant before he could leave.

“Don’t make me have to come get him.” Logan said lighting his cigar.

“You won’t ever have to.” Steve said with a firm nod.

“Good.”

“Are we heading out?” Clint asked, glancing up at the taller man.

“If you don’t mind, Natasha’s going to meet us in Rocky Springs.”

“Sure, let me go grab my bag.” Clint said with a grin tugging Steve to follow, he had no intention of letting the dominant go now that he had him back.

***

The flight home was on a military transport but they at least sat next to each other, shoulders and knees bumping. Steve drove them from the base in a black jeep that screamed Natasha, she’d always been good and arranging the best rides for a mission. It was getting late but the shop below was clean and a bustling crowd of youngsters sat at various tables drinking coffee and reading from the massive shelves of books covering the walls.

“You opened a coffee house?” Clint asked even as Steve tugged him past the doors to the stairs on the side of the building.

“They don’t have one in town and it seemed like a good investment.” Steve said with a grin unlocking the door and leading Clint inside.

Dinner was waiting for them in the oven with a note from Natasha saying she expected them to be decent for lunch the next day. Clint grinned setting the note to the side; it was good to finally be home. Steve crowded against him tucking his nose in Clint’s hair and tugging him flush against the soldier’s chest with firm hands.

“Are you hungry?” Clint asked tugging the man’s arms up to wrap around his chest and pressing a kiss to one bicep.

“I can always eat.” Steve said grinning as he kissed Clint’s temple. “Do you want to shower while I heat things up?”

“I don’t want you out of my sight right now, still feels like I’m dreaming.”Clint said spinning around and tugging him down into a kiss.

“Then take a seat, I want to get some food into you.” Steve said kissing him one more time before pulling back and moving into the kitchen, “You’ve lost weight again.”

“Yeah, I’m back to having random drops and subspace episodes. Whatever Stark did to his new formulation of drop makes them last longer.”

“We’ll get through it,” Steve said with a frown, Clint knew he was already altering whatever plans he had for the next few months to help deal with the drops.

“So, are you working the café downstairs?”

“They gave me a crash course in case someone calls in; mostly I’m just paying for everything.” Steve said with a blush.

“So I don’t get to see you in an apron?” Clint teased, enjoying watching the blush spread down Steve’s collar bones.

“I might be able to borrow one if you really want to role play.” Steve said, eyes skimming over Clint as he passed out plates of casserole.

“And what would I be wearing?”

“Who said you would be wearing anything?” Steve said with a lingering blush on his cheeks, “Maybe I’d keep you in bed for a few days.”

“Naked and waiting?”

“Naked except for your collar and cuffs, letting me take care of you.”

“You still have them?”

“Of course, I’ll get them after we take a shower.”

“Would you hand feed me muffins?”  
“Whatever you want,” Steve said his eyes dark and needy as he stared at the submissive before him like he was trying to memorize his features all over again.

“I’d like that, Sir.” Clint said forcing himself to start eating watching as Steve shivered at the title.

“Will you let me take care of you tonight, Love? I need to make sure you’re really okay.”

“Yeah, as long as you stay close.”

“Not leaving you.” Steve said starting on his own plate, “Finish up, I want to take a shower together.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” Clint said with a grin, eating the casserole without really tasting it.

He watched Steve serve himself seconds and felt himself finally starting to relax. He was with a dominant that loved and cherished him in ways he never thought he’d get. They cleaned up the dishes side by side before Steve tugged him towards the bedroom with a shy smile. He was finally home.


End file.
